“Mommy”

Mommy dearest,

Mommy journey,

Mommy learned me,

Mommy kissed me,

Mommy hugged me,

Mommy ssshhhh’d me,

Mommy loved me.

Mommy taught me to love to read and learn,

Mommy she spelled it, M,O,M,M,Y.

Oh mama, oh Kathy, Oh Michele, Oh Why oh Why,

Have I not hugged you more, and kissed your eyes,

and held you when you cry’d.

I confess I’m not the best but I wish that I could be

the son you dreamed of.

I wish that I could tell you how much you mean to

me, love.

You’re such a planner, I wish I could be you.

You’re so strong and I’m so weak, this I know is true.

Know and know it well how much I admire and aspire to be you.

You gave me a life that most people never dream

You brought me to school,

You taught me the tools,

You made me believe in keeping on and having hope

You were my teacher.

My educator.

My magic rope.

You are my neverland where I have happy thoughts.

You are my letter’d plans when my business goes aloft.

Broadmoor’s finest and straight from the heart of Walmsley Avenue

A teacher, a businesswoman, who defies Katrina’s stormy aptitude

A hoper,

A magistrate,

A peacekeeper,

A free faller,

winding like the Mississippi at the Riverview parlor…

I’m sorry for our fights. I’m sorry for my words that may have hurt you.

I’m sorry to have burden’d you,

I’m sorry I have irked you.

I’m sorry I have cursed you.

A thousand I’m-sorrys wouldn’t be enough, but here’s two for the money,

Two for the show,

Three for the lessons,

And a fourth one for misery,

I’m sorry for late nights, I’m sorry for injuries (head).

Mom, I love you. Please just know. I love you.

I want to say it to you so bad. Over and over and over.

I hope I have a chance to make it all up to you.

To show you in more then just these words,

just how much, I love you. In magnitude. In distance.

In scope. In roses. In books. In newspaper.

In television. In Ireland. In London. In Italy.

In everything.

• for my Mother on her birthday
• 12–23–08