Happy Mother's Day!    

An Ode to My Mother
I'd like to say I knew it all
That I was born knowing
How to tie my shoes
And cross the streets
Look both ways
And not wet the sheets
But the truth of it is
I would never have known
If not for mom.

Mom taught me:
How to put on clothes
How to ride the bus
And how to deal with those
Back-seat bullies, when I must.
She taught me how to save
And how to spend
How to always be nice
And if not, to just pretend
She taught me good friends
Are worth the effort
That it always pays
To keep them in touch
She taught me to enjoy the world
And learn what I may
Even though I fought her
Down every museum hallway

I don't know if I told her
How thankful I am
For all the lessons she taught me
Both spontaneous and planned.

She fed me in a way
Befitting a gourmet
She checked on my homework
And looked at my grades
I know I would not have made it
Had she done it any other way
She stood next to me when I made Eagle
And it was giving some back
That I got to pin her
With her own Eagle tie-tack.

I am what I am because of who she is
I still hear her voice
Ringing in my head
Telling me to clean up
Before I go to bed

When I've done it right
When I feel I've done good
That's when I know
That I've done as I should
Because my mom always taught me
How to tell right from wrong
How to always do my best
How to listen to the wise
And to ignore the rest

When I feel that I've done it
I smile and think
I heard you mom,
I know you can't believe it
But I did the right thing
Because you taught me how to see it.

I love you mom.

--Brian