My Mother, the Reader

I did the Poem-A-Day challenge on writersdigest.com in April.  I didn’t post a poem for each day, nor did I write one for each day, but I did try.  One of the challenges was “My (Blank), the (Blank).”  An image of my mom reading a book at the kitchen table was the first thing that came to mind.  Happy Early Mother’s Day, Mom!  I love everything you have given me, genetically and otherwise.

My Mother, the Reader

Thank you for the example

You have been to me

I’m glad I’ve always known

That sometimes,

Laundry and dishes and dust

Can wait if I find

A book that can’t be put down

And I can always

Pick up a book
Any time I am made to wait

You never forced them on me

I think I just knew you were happiest

With a story in front of you

And I wanted that kind of happy too

Thank you, Mom

For the love of words

That you shared with me

And whether it is genetic or not
And whether you meant to or not

I’m glad you passed it on

Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month, and over at www.writersdigest.com they are doing a Poem a Day Challenge.  I have participated in nearly all of the prompts, so please go check it out if you feel the need.  I really wanted to share the poem I wrote for yesterday's challenge.  The prompt was to write about an animal, and I couldn't help but thinking of the images that came to me during the Write the Dream conference I went to back in March.  If you know my dad you know what I mean about him drawing everyone and everything in.  Love you, Dad!

Horses and My Dad

In a dream he

walked toward me

across green pasture

from beneath the trees

They followed him out

from all around

trusting where he led

I woke and wondered

what it meant

A cowboy

trailed by horses

And then I knew

the truth I saw

My dad just

draws souls in

Yet he will always

come to me

if I am lost from him