Mother

Inhale the rich scent of chocolate and dough

Cooking in the oven

Bask in the warm cotton clothing

Just pulled out of the dryer

Her whole life devoted to

Me

And what do I do to pay her back

What can I do to pay her back

Nothing

Except tell a story hoping to bring a smile

Even maybe a laugh

Those rich vocals that vibrate in my ears

That make my heart soar when I hear them

Does she know that I hear her

When she softly sobs

At

Night

After he yells at her for comforting us

After he smacks or screams at us

After we misstep or give him sass

But when he leaves

For one place that never fails to give him what he wants

Pleasure in a bottle

I wait outside her door

Wishing that I could go in

And lay next to her

To give her comfort for once

But

I

Don't.