Happy Mothers

Happy Mother’s Day

Motherhood, mothering,mommy

Not the same thing, no.

Motherhood is the institution, the calling,

The sacred club that sings its siren song to us.

Very few have the courage to resist

And those who do soon realize they have missed

The greatest challenge a woman can know.

Mothering, now that is not sacred at all.

It is not getting enough sleep, enough help,

It is nursing and serving and wiping and all

Those verbs that tire you out thinking about them.

Energy is the fuel of the mothering we do.

Mommy is the specialness, the scent of baby powder

And the joy of snuggling, the warmth and wrapping arms.

It is the essence of comforting and loving beyond

Any measure or description devised.

It is being the audience for your beloved.

And then we graduate to Nana

And, hurrah, start the circle all over again.