For My Mother on Mother's Day…and Every Day

My mother is 92 years of age and lives near me in a nursing facility. She knows who I am and I visit with her two or three times a week. These days we have strange conversations but every once and awhile I know she is herself - the mom that raised me, loved me, nurtured me, and shared with me her love of words. More than anything, I now feel,  it was her imagination that had the most influence on my early years. She read to me and she also made up stories to fill my dreams with visions and wonderment. 

Perhaps that is why my head has always been full of more stories I want to tell - either through words or images (or both)  - than hours to bring them to life. I thank my mom for the creative gifts I have for without her tender care of that fragile spark I would have given up long ago. 

So in honor of Mom I found this poem in one of her books to share. It is perfect in recalling, for me, those precious moments listening to her words and feeling transformed to a world I knew to be my very own. 

THE FAIRY BOOK
by   Abbie Farwell Brown

When Mother takes the Fairy Book
And we curl up to hear,
'Tis "All aboard for Fairyland!"
Which seems to be so near.

For soon we reach the pleasant place
Of Once Upon a Time,
Where birdies sing the hour of day,
And flowers talk in rhyme;

Where Bobby is a velvet Prince,
And where I am a Queen;
Where one can talk with animals,
And walk about unseen;

Where Little People live in nuts,
And ride on butterflies,
And wonders kindly come to pass
Before your very eyes;

Where candy grows on every bush,
And playthings on the trees,
And visitors pick basketfuls
As often as they please.

It is the nicest time of day -
Though Bedtime is so near, -
When Mother takes the Fairy Book
And we curl up to hear.