A mother is what she needed
not a friend that played
jacks, marbles and jump rope
where she was left
to her own devices of
making mischief
with her brother
or watching a locomotive
barrel down steel tracks
to crush a penny
newly set
upon them
but her mother an only child
longed for siblings
for playmates
to fill
a yearning
so even as she needed
wanted a mother
oranges and apples
would not mix
yet her mother turned flour sacks
into underclothes and slips
for her sewn dresses
to lie upon
her mother cooked food
laden with the aromas
of love
pies trimmed in the lace
of gold brown crust
even when money
was a
luxury
she would surmise in life
that mothers do the best
with what life
gives them
Ā© September 2018 Renee Espriu
Photo Taken From Public Domain Pictures and Created As Art
reneejustturtleflight.com 
Being a mom is challenging enough. I do agree that : mothers do the best
with what life gives them.
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I loved my grandmother but I can see that as an only child she would much rather play jacks or marbles with my mother than anything else. But that didn’t stop her from making sure there was food on the table and clothes to wear. She was a fun grandmother as I spent much time with her. Thank you Grace.
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Lots of wisdom and compassion in your poem, Renee. And those finishing lines are so true of any mother. Sounds like you have some good memories of your grandmother. š
Hope you have a good week coming up!
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Thank you Betty and yes I loved that my grandmother was a fun grandma but my mother still always wished for a mother rather than a mother who wanted to play. Have a good weekend.
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I can imagine, Renee. There needs to be some balance. We moms can be playful at times, but we must also know when to fill the role of being a mother. It’s sad your mother had that lack in her life when she was a child.
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she sounds like a lovely person who had quite some talents and imagination. but yeah – a mom should be a mom first and a playmate second. hope life is treating you well
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Thank you Claudia and yes, my grandmother was fun for me but that was alright but even though she made sure my mom was taken care of in what was needed she really wanted to play with her and her siblings. Being an only child does have some negative things about it, I guess. I am well and taking each day as it comes. Life is good.
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