Ode to Mother

Click, the keyboard ticks, then stops.

Hands poised above the keys, waiting

For the right words to come, waiting

For ideas to flow through fingers

Onto the page, finished, to be read.

You introduced me to reading, to words,

To worlds on paper, to big ideas;

Which inspired me to write,

Inspired me to let stories

Flow, inspired me to share the worlds

Inside my head.

Pencil scratches on lined paper,

Leaves marks, eraser scribbles

Furiously; pencil touches paper,

Ready to try again.

More scratching, finally a circle

Around the answer – done.

You taught me math, taught me

Numbers, symbols, shapes,

Formulas, taught me to love them.

Square roots, cubes, powers of two,

I know them and love every one.

A beat, first soft, then growing

Until there is no choice but to dance

And sing along; sing the song,

The words, the melody,

Voice bouncing, lips moving,

Teeth showing, reveling in

The complex tune.

You showed me music, tempo, harmony,

Showed me inversions, chords,

Notes, until I couldn’t forget them,

Couldn’t help but savor

The symphony of sounds, whether

An intricate orchestra or a simple croon.

Thank you for making me

Who I am today, for making me

A well-rounded person, someone

Who loves truth and beauty.

Thank you for teaching me morals,

Right and wrong, thank you

For giving me a good education, for

Giving me so many things to

Do, so many things to see.

Thank you, Mother, for loving me.