I'm Sorry I couldn't write something beautiful

Norma J. Metz Sep.1,1931-Feb.7,2008

I wanted to write you
some thing beautiful,
after all I'm a writer,
that's what I do,
or at least
what I'm supposed to do.

But all I could do
was recall,
how as a child
you read me "peanuts" stories
and how every night
I'd look forward to the next.

I remember "Snoopy" running away
and how lonely I felt
looking at the pictures
of him making his way through the dark
as I followed your words
from page to page.

I remember those times, Mom,
they were some of the best
of my entire life.

I grew to love reading stories
and telling them too.
Maybe writing is a god given talent,
I don't know, but I do know
if you hadn't nurtured
a young boys' imagination,
I wouldn't write a thing today.

It wasn't really ever easy for us
we spent long years at odds
and too many passed in silence
that we both refused to break.

It's over now,
at least we had
these last few years to share
a sometimes un-easy peace,
and at least in the end
we found some of the love
we shared as a child
and a mother.

I won't forget the stories,
and I'm sorry
I couldn't write you
something beautiful.