She said, “Come, here, baby.”
And I reached for her.
She said, “Open wide!”
And I ate.
She sang, “Rock a bye …”
And I slept for her.
She said, “See? All better.”
And my crying stopped.
* * *
She said, “Finish eating.”
And I scowled at her.
She said, “Clean your room.”
And I fumed.
She said, “Put it back.”
And I whined at her.
She said, “You’re going!”
I screamed, “No, I’m not!”
* * *
She said, “I’ll be waiting.”
So I entered the grade school.
She said, “I’ll be here.”
So I got on the bus.
She said, “I’ll be right outside.”
So I sat for the dentist.
She said, “I’ll have ice cream.”
So I let my tonsils go.
* * *
She said, “Be back before supper.”
I ignored her.
She said, “Don’t play with that boy.”
I ignored her again.
She said, “Turn out the lights.”
I snuck them back on.
She said, “Don’t use that language.”
But I still do.
* * *
She said, “Kiss your grandma.”
I replied, “Do I have to?”
She said, “Stand up straight.”
I replied, “Why?”
She said, “Show respect.”
I replied, “I am!”
She said, “You can do better.”
So I tried.
* * *
She said, “Why the long hair?”
I said, “You don’t get me.”
She said, “Why those old sneakers?”
I said, “Leave me alone.”
She said, “Aren’t you coming with us?”
I said, “I have my friends.”
She said, “Who’s on the phone?”
I said, “God, Mom, get off!”
* * *
She said, “You have to study.”
So I studied in high school.
She said, “You’ll go to college.”
Naturally, I went.
She said, “My cup runneth over.”
When she stood at my wedding.
She said, “I believe in you.”
No matter what came next.
* * *
She said all these expressions,
“Love your family … be kind …”
“Make your spouse your best friend.”
And “creative minds are rarely tidy.”
She advised me to “be ready.”
I was ready until this day.
She said, “I’ll always love you …”
Then her voice went away.
* * *
She stares at me now
When I say, “Hiya, Mommy!”
She’s a curious child
When I say, “It’s your son.”
There’s a wheelchair beneath her
So I can’t say, “Let’s go.”
The strokes left her fragile
Hidden inside.
* * *
So I say, “Come here, Mother.”
And she reaches for me.
I say, “Open wide.”
And she eats.
I say, “I’ll always love you.”
Like she always told me.
And I hide my greatest Mother’s Day wish.
To hear her say something — anything — again.
Contact Mitch Albom: 313-223-4581 or malbom@freepress.com. Catch “The Mitch Albom Show” 5-7 p.m. weekdays on WJR-AM (760). Follow him on Twitter @mitchalbom. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/mitch.
I have had this on my refrigerator since it was printed, it hits my heart every time I look at it.