The Odd Mom

"Yes, Mother, I can see you are flawed. You have not hidden it. That is your greatest gift to me."

Alice Walker

THE ODD MOM

There were times that you embarrassed me

Some personally, some indirect

But my memories continue to be

Mostly pleasing I suspect

So you liked to take me out for pie

As I wore my band uniform

I felt so exposed that I could die

In that outfit I had worn

You tried to share your fashion sense

And presented to me with pride

The most ridiculous pair of clown pants

In lime green and orange stripes

It didn't really occur to you

That such garb was meant to be

Worn by disco dancers

And by pimps on crime tv

But being the dutiful daughter

I wore them to the dance

I wasn't drawn and quartered

But all had their share of laughs

Then I always must remember

How cool our friends thought you were

With the top down in December

To pay off a bet that had occurred

You had the greatest records

And spun them at the hop

You raced your souped up '57 Ford

Loudly down the block

Mom, you always kept us wondering

What kind of antics you'd show next

Though embarrassing moments brought suffering

In my life there are no regrets

It turns out my friends adored you

And wanted you for their own

The teenaged days that I lived through

I've clearly not outgrown

No one is born to perfection

And certainly not you

But now I look at my reflection

And who I'm seeing now is you

I've acquired all your idiosyncrasies

And your bold infectious ways

From a lifetime of played out fantasies

Which made growing up the good old days