For Mama

Portrait of My Mother

Her hands

Held up the world for me.

“This, you see? This is for you.”

She said.

And I believed her.  

For those were the hands that mended,

Ministered,

And mollified.

My mother’s hands could never lie. 

Her arms

Embraced the whole of me

“All of you is perfect.”

She said.

And I believed her.

For those were the arms that cradled,

Carried,

And cured.

My mother’s arms were always open.

Her smile

Dissolved all doubt for me

“You can do anything.”

She said.

And I believed her.

For that was the smile that attended,

Assured,

And applauded.

My mother’s smile would never wane.

I noticed.

I always did. 

When she wasn’t looking—

Her hands, her arms, her smile –

I noticed and I loved,

As only a child can love

As only a child can observe

The portrait of

An angel.

by Niki Hudson, 2011

Me and Mom 2006 (during my experimental hair-coloring stage!)

Happy Mother's Day,

Today's Gratitude List:

• leisurely weekends
• strawberries
• my new rosemary and mint conditioner--ahhhhh!
• other peoples' blogs - had so much fun reading through them this morning!
• new recipes to try: linguine with roasted asparagus (see www.finecooking.com) Yum!