They always say
The mother-son bond is special.
I don’t know
I’ve loved every one of my children
Boys and girls
It felt no different.
But yes, I wanted my sons to marry well
And most did –
I’d best leave Matthan out of it -
Joseph I thought
Would be the easiest to sort
Having always
such quiet thoughtfulness
I thought no woman could resist.
We arranged a good one.
Lovely girl
Or so I thought.
The plans were well advanced
And I was looking forward to the day
And then the news.
I still feel ill to think of it.
I thought I was
Such a good judge of character.
I got that one wrong.
Well, I told him –
“Rid yourself my boy –
We’ll look again”
And that was what
He was all set to do.
And then one day
He comes with some ridiculous tale
A dream from God.
He must think
I am a fool.
“Oh really”
I said.
“You’ll be telling me next
it’s God’s fault
the shame
that’s on our family.”
He went very quiet at that.
I’m having none of it.
If he wants to keep to it
There’s nothing I can do
Mothers can’t interfere
But if he thinks
I’ll celebrate
He’s very mistaken.
God knows
Where this will lead us.
Poem by Jeannie Kendall, reproduced with permission