Welcomed holidays
as a child.
Looked forward
to the festivities.

That’s when Mom
was in charge
Coordinating
all operations.

Choosing and
decorating
the family
Christmas tree.

Ensuring that
Santa received
my list
of wants.

Filling baskets
with the best
Easter treats
ever.

Preparing feasts,
planning transportation
for grandmothers,
revered guests.

My father
just watched
and played
chauffeur.

It was
a great time
to be a child
in My Mother’s house.

She holidayzed us
with her imagination
and love
of family.

My father felt
his responsibilities
more than
fulfilled

by keeping secret
the identities of
Santa, Easter Bunny,
our holiday heroes.

But years later
he reminded us
who really paid
for gifts.

God bless Mom,
who worked behind
the scenes to keep
our spirits high

and instill a belief
in miracles, dreams,
in a world
of nonbelievers.

 

Janet Cormier is a painter, writes prose and poetry, and performs comedy. Janet prefers different and original over pretty. She loves collecting stuff, but cleaning not so much. Janet also talks to strangers. A lot. Her column appears weekly on Oddball Magazine.