Thursday, May 6, 2010
Happy Mother's Day
The Happiest Day
by Linda Pastan
It was early May, I think
a moment of lilac or dogwood
when so many promises are made
it hardly matters if a few are broken.
My mother and father still hovered
in the background, part of the scenery
like the houses I had grown up in,
and if they would be torn down later
that was something I knew
but didn't believe. Our children were asleep
or playing, the youngest as new
as the new smell of the lilacs,
and how could I have guessed
their roots were shallow
and would be easily transplanted.
I didn't even guess that I was happy.
The small irritations that are like salt
on melon were what I dwelt on,
though in truth they simply
made the fruit taste sweeter.
So we sat on the porch
in the cool morning, sipping
hot coffee. Behind the news of the day--
strikes and small wars, a fire somewhere--
I could see the top of your dark head
and thought not of public conflagrations
but of how it would feel on my bare shoulder.
If someone could stop the camera then...
if someone could only stop the camera
and ask me: are you happy?
perhaps I would have noticed
how the morning shone in the reflected
color of lilac. Yes, I might have said
and offered a steaming cup of coffee.
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Happy Mother's Day Witch. You are one awesome momma.
ReplyDeleteLove, jc
Happy Mother's Day, sweetie! Love the pics, love the poem. (You always did like a good Pastan poem, didn't you? She's great. Like you.) And your babies? Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mothers Day.
ReplyDeleteI look at these pictures and I am reminded that you were a cheerleader. Also, motherhood appears to agree with you. Happy Mothers Day.
ReplyDeleteGood heavens you're gorgeous, TKW!
ReplyDelete(Love the poem too.)
You look wonderfully serene in those pictures.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day!
What a beautiful poem (and photos). Happy Mother's Day dear friend!
ReplyDeleteVery sweet.
ReplyDeleteVery nice - photos and poem.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a beautiful poem! It's truly a gift! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSigh ... lovely poems, lovely photographs, lovely YOU.
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely, lovely.
ReplyDeleteAnd a very happy Mama's Day to you, Kitch.
BEAUTIFUL photos. Beautiful poem. It's so real, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteHave a great Mother's Day, TKW! You soooo deserve it. And I hope someone cooks for you on Sunday! (I would, but then again, well...you know my shortcomings...)
Absolutely beautiful...and sweet pics as well. happy Mother's Day to you!
ReplyDeleteWhat priceless photos of both of you, just exquisite. And the poem -- my writing hat is off to you, Kitch. Like a spare melody, counting, every word.
ReplyDeleteLoved this post! Happy Momma Day to you! :D
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day to one of my favorite bloggin' mommas! You are an amazing mother and this is such a beautiful post! Have a happy, happy day!
ReplyDeleteSuch a touching post and ohmygosh, what incredible photos! Real treasures.
ReplyDeleteI hope the girls and awesome stepson make it a fabulous day for you.
Thank You. Truly from my heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone. I hope you all are spoiled ROTTEN this weekend?
ReplyDeleteAnd Ink, you know me so well. I love Pastan--cannot resist her--even after she made me cry at BreadLoaf! Man, she's a crank. But a brilliant poet.
Lovely pictures, beautiful words...
ReplyDeleteWishing you a day of happiness, rest and worshipping of you...
Have a wonderful Mother's Day, Kitch!
The salt on the melon does indeed make it taste all the sweeter. Happy Mother's Day to you, Kitch! (I hope there is zero meat loaf involved in your weekend.)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words that remind all us moms how our children make our lives so wondrously special...every day!
ReplyDeletewow!
ReplyDeleteso beautiful picture i love it
best of luck
Aww happy mother's day TKW
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that this post and poem just shone on my Saturday morning. Happy Mother's Day to you!
ReplyDeleteSo sweet.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Mother's Day!
Love these pictures and love the poem. Happy Mother's Day to you!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Mothers Day Mamma!
ReplyDeletePrecious pictures
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day to YOU.
I'm still mad about your Breadloaf experience. But...proud of you, too, because you WENT!
ReplyDeleteHope YOU are getting spoiled rotten this weekend. xoxo
Beautiful! The photos and the poem. Happy Mother's Day to you!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day, I hate that you looked that good after birth, I was still read and bloated months after!
ReplyDeleteLook at that Miss D - just storing up her baby energy to run your household once she learned to talk (and yell!)
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. Happy Mother's Day!
this is my first time at your site and I will be back. I am taken with the way you use words...like "salt on melon" and the bit about the children having such shallow roots that they are easily transplanted. Such images will be with me all day, I'm sure. Wonderful for Mother's Day.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem, so visual and tangible. My oldest son has sturdy roots, yet shallow and strong enough to transplant in the home with his new wife. I don't think he's realized he's left an empty spot in my garden - but I remember:)
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day!
Such great pictures! I hope you were treated like a queen today... you deserve it!
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day to you.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a great day, TKW! I love the poems and the pictures. But I had to look very closely at the first one. Is that your mom? I had to turn my head to look at it sideways to make sure it wasn't actually Barbara Eden.
ReplyDeleteLove this. These lines grabbed me: "The small irritations that are like salt/on melon were what I dwelt on,/though in truth they simply/made the fruit taste sweeter." So very true.
ReplyDeleteThat photo made me smile from ear to ear.