An Angel Among Men (Not a Unicorn)

There was a woman who had a triple name:

Mary

Michal

Jean.

Not a double name (like me and every other girl in the Deep South), but a triple name.

It was practically proof she was exquisitely special, like a unicorn  or an angel among men.

Ah yes, an angel,  she was far more like an angel than a unicorn

But I didn’t call her Mary Michal-Jean, I had a far superior name 

I called her mother

However, every now and then that changed too:

When I was dripping with glamour I called her “Mamà”

When I my green eyes became glassy I called her sniff, sniff, sob, sob “Mahhmma”

And when I was fuming, like our tea kettle hissing with steam, I called her “MOOOooommMMM”

I addressed her with a  pelothora of 

“Yes ma’am”

“No ma’am” 

“Yes ma’am”

“No ma’am”

“Yes ma’am” 

“No ma’am” too.

Yes ma’am, you can bet 

My mother guided me, raised me, loved me.

In fact,

She taught me how to love:

Love my God

Love my family

Love a good British period drama

And I loved her for it.

When I grow up (which is coming up far too soon) I want to grow up to be my mom

According to genetics, I’m halfway there

I  have her curly hair and smile,

I hope to have her resilience and her compassion.

So much thanks, many Xs and Os, to not just the woman that is Mary Michal-Jean,

but to the woman that is my mother, 

An angel among men.