Poems I wrote in memory of my Mother

      BORN TO BE A MOTHER



Beside a campfire on the West Texas Plains
She came into this world
Not knowing that this
Was only the first of the hardships
That would begin preparing her
For life as the Mother she was born to be

The sun and wind made her strong
The hardships taught her to care
The family taught her to love
From her father she learned toughness
From her mother she learned gentleness
Times were hard , so she learned to be fugal
From the trail she learned what it was to be cold
To be hungry, thirsty, to live off the land

From the few dances she went to
She learned how to laugh and enjoy life
From the lack of education
She learned the importance of it
With no doctors, or hospitals
She learned how to take care of herseld and her family

While still a young girl of eighteen
She was ready to be a Mother
It was then she met the man
She wanted to be the father of her children
With love, his help and hard work
She raised her family of eight
Never complaining of the work or the time
She gave to those she bore

Because of her education in the school of live
I never knew what hunger was
Except for an hour before the three meals
She cooked every day
Often standing over a wood stove
During the hottest days of summer
Though the meal was not fancy
There was always plenty
Today I would trade half a life time
For one of her hot biscuits

I was cold only until I could crawl under the quilts
That she spent long hours sewing
Long after every one else was asleep
Or stood close to the fire
Made with the wood she helped to cut
Though my clothes may haavae had many patches
They were clean even if she had  to
Scrub them on a rub board
On a cold winte day

I knew what it was like to have a soft hand
And a cool towel on my brow when I was sick
With a firm hand when needed
She taught me how to stand on my on two feet
To make my own way in the world
From her I learned what it was like to be loved
And to give love in return

Lastly! Although I'm sure she never intended to
She tought me about sorrow
For I have never felt such sorrow
That I felt when she left this life
After living ninty three years
As the mother she was born to be


Gardner