And now, A Christmas Poetry reading

A woman read this at the beginning of her talk in church a few weeks ago.  I almost cried laughing.  It rings true!  Enjoy!

SEE MOTHER, FUNNY MOTHER

By Sandra Gilbert

See mother, see mother laugh. Mother is happy. Mother is happy about Christmas. Mother has many plans. Mother has many plans for Christmas. Mother is organized. Mother smiles all the time. Funny, funny, mother.

‘See mother. See mother smile. Mother is happy. The shopping is all done. See the children watching TV. Watch children, watch. See the children change their minds.  See them ask Santa for different toys. Look, look. Mother is not smiling. Funny, funny, mother.

See mother. See mother sew. Mother will make dresses. Mother will make robes. Mother will make skirts. See mother put the zipper in wrong.  See mother sew the dress on the wrong side. See mother cut the skirt too short. See mother put the material away until January. Look, look. See mother take a tranquilizer. Funny, funny, mother.

See mother. See mother buy raisins and nuts. See mother buy candied pineapple and powdered sugar. See mother buy flour and dates and pecans and brown sugar and bananas and spices and vanilla. Look, look. See mother mixing everything together. See the cookies burn. See the cake fall. See the children pull taffy. See mother clean the kitchen with the garden hose. Funny, funny, mother.

See mother. See mother wrap presents. See mother look for the end of the scotch tape role. See mother bite her fingernails. See mother go. See mother go to the store 12 times in an hour. Go mother go. See mother go faster. Run mother run. See mother trim the tree. See mother have a party. See mother make popcorn. See mother wash the walls. See mother scrub the rug. See mother tear up the organized plan. See mother forget a gift for Uncle Harold. See mother get hives. Go mother go. See the far-away look in mother's eyes. Mother has become disorganized. Mother has become disoriented. Funny, funny, mother.

It is finally Christmas morning. See the happy family. See father smile. Father is happy. Smile father, smile. Father loves fruitcake. Father loves Christmas pudding. Father loves all his new neckties. Look, look. See the happy children. See the children's toys. Santa was very good to the children. The children will remember this Christmas.

See mother. Mother is slumped in a chair. Mother is crying uncontrollably. Mother does not look well. Mother has ugly dark circles under her bloodshot eyes. Everyone helps mother to bed. See mother sleep quietly under heavy sedation. See mother smile. Funny, funny, mother.