Momma

Momma I wish I knew you better

Momma I wish we had more time together, momma

Momma would work and come home late

she’d still listen to our complaints

She’d do the dishes, the laundry and meals

she’d stop to hear how we feel

she’d buy our clothes with the money she earned

then she’d ask what we had learned

I have to confess

I never saw her buy a new dress

when she had a chance to leave she stayed

and worked at a job that hardly paid

with a man who didn’t love her or treat her well

she stayed for us, she stayed in hell

she loved to dance 

she loved to paint

she loved to travel 

she loved to laugh

so I hope she is dancing now

the dishes are done, the kids are fed

the laundry is folded, we made our beds

when it was time for you to rest

you got sick and then you left

Momma I wish I knew you better

Momma I wish we had more time together, momma

(c)2017 by Catherine Elder