My Mom

(a picture of my mom, Karen McGee Atwood)

Today is my mom's birthday. She died on September 18th of last year. Bismarck State College has a publication called Figments of Imagination that any one who's taking classes at BSC can submit either literary works or artwork to. I submitted 2 poems that I wrote, "All These I Miss and More" and "My Mother Was My Hero". I was surprised when I got a call on Wednesday from BSC informing me that one of my poems got in.

(another picture of my mom, Karen McGee Atwood)

My Mother Was My Hero

She wasn't very special

In the eyes of the rest of the world

But she was my hero

The one I always trusted.(a picture of my mom and dad and 2 of my sisters, Sara and Rachel)

I'd wake up each day

To the sound of her voice

Telling me to get up

And ready to go.

I wake up each day now

To the sound of her alarm;

The beeping is all I hear.

My mother was my hero

But now her voice is gone.(a picture of me, my mom, my sister, Sara, and my brother, Clarence)

I'd walk in the door

And see her on the couch

She'd be sitting or lying,

Resting in her special spot.

Now, the house is empty

Her space on the couch is clear

She's nowhere in sight.

Her presence is no longer there.

My mother was my hero

But now she is gone.(a picture of Sara, my sister, Becky, my dad, Rachel, my mom, and me)

Calling the house

Nearly every time

She'd answer right away

She was always there.

Calling the house now,

Her answer never comes

She is no longer there.

Another answers every time.

My mother was my hero

But now she can't be heard.(a picture of Clarence, me, my mom, Becky, Rachel, and Sara)

When a ride was needed

She'd be on her way

She would always make it

No matter what was going on.

Now, when I need a ride

She's not going to come

Someone else must come instead

She will never come again.

My mother was my hero

But now her presence is gone.(a picture of my dad, my mom, and my sister, Rachel)

She took me to deliver papers

Whenever I requested

She'd take me everywhere

That I needed to go.

She'll never again take me

Wherever I need to go

I have to take the bus

Or get a ride from another.

My mother was my hero

But now she is here no more.(a picture of my mom and me)

I would talk to her

About every little thing

Every single day

When I had something to say.

No longer can I talk to her

She's nowhere to be found

Now, I talk to Rachel

Since Mom is not around.

My mother was my hero

But now she's far away.(a picture of my mom and my sister, Sara)

For people who knew her,

She was always there

If ever help was needed

She would immediately come

But now she is not coming

To those who are in need

She cannot come directly

Someone else must come instead

My mother was my hero

But now she is not nearby.She may have been my hero

But now that she is dead

Her influence on her children

Will always be felt.

My mother is my hero

She will be forevermore.In the future, when I have children

They will know of her:

Her smiling face

Her caring eyes

Her loving words

My children will know my hero

Her memory will live on.(a picture of my sister, Sara, my mom, my sister, Rachel's cat, Gizmo, and our dog, Xavier)

My sisters, Sara and Rachel, and I used to talk to Mom about everything. Whenever something happened, the first thing that came to mind was "I have to tell Mom about this." But now, I can't. (a picture of Mom and Xavier)

Every Sunday at Church, I would sit by my mom in Sacrament meeting and then in Relief Society. I would always lean on her. She always complained about me elbowing her in the side and that it hurt, but I couldn't help but do it anyway.