2010/06/21 Impressed (Rev.) Poem by Margaret Alice

I shall always admire mother’s ability to
surmount obstacles to her dreams, those
things being my dad, my siblings and I
grandma Alice and the rest of the family

Mother could have easily succumbed to
defeat of marriage and five unruly kids,
but she never gave in, followed her own
dream-star, played the piano

Organ lessons at the conservatorium,
playing Bach, church hymns, conducting
choir, never allowing reality to interfere,
else she might have been a drudge

But her grooming impeccable; if I had
to choose between her and a defeated
mom, I’d take her, not needing her
affection, as is, she needs nothing too

Grandma Alice ran her household ‘til
we kids were grown while she flew free
returning to bankrupt dad yet he claims
he enjoyed living in her universe

Betray her – she’ll have you exorcised; I
leave her alone, unsure what she’ll do next
but I prefer a mother I can admire to a
dependent invalid in need of sympathy

I’d rather be impressed than agonized by
her sufferings, but she must remember
when complaining why we do not offer
the affection that she thinks her due…