I thank you now Mama
decades later
for the elastic banded pants
that you knitted forever
you made them for me by hand.
You measured my legs
with wool skein threads
knitted relentlessly
like Charlotte’s Web
for many moons
with hopes to keep me warm
through East Coast winters
to save me through blizzards and storms.
I think you thought of Korea
where temperatures
in winter go below past zero
pants like that would be
unfashionably practical
gratefully necessary.
But the kids over here laughed
at my thick woven yarns
in North America
where everything is store bought
machine made with nothing saved
brand new and improved
convenient trendy disposable
glamorized commercialized
in North America
nothing is ever mended
just thrown away everyday
tons and tons of garbage.
Kids indoctrinated with cool
tortured me with ridicule
because they were brainwashed early
through taunts and chants
to not stand out ever
against the alpha crowd
the mob of psycho normal.
They shamed me into
being ashamed of you.
Your warm stone pot of tofu soup
Your hands stained with scents of garlic flowers
Your reach to hold my hands across the street
Your operatic voice and eyes beaming with singing
Your quick wit and saber sword words
Your crying alive with survival.
What a beautiful poetic tribute to your mother.
And having often eaten tofu soup that was served in a warm stone pot in Korean restaurants on a cold rainy day when I lived in Vancouver, I can personally see how wrong your mother’s detractors were.
How wonderful that she had an operatic voice and enjoyed singing. ☺
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Thank you Dracul Van Helsing warm soup on rainy days are the best, snowy days even better. She loved to sing, it meant she was happy. Those rare days when she sang meant everything was safe at home. ❤️🎶
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This is really beautiful, and I just had soondubu jjigae tonight for dinner. Splendid write.
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Thank you Cubby, you impress me so much with your awareness. I love that you had tofu soup and know it’s Korean name! You’re pretty awesome Cubby!
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My parents are Korean, so I ate a lot of Korean food growing up. Having been to Korea a few times, I know that I am 100% Canadian, only genetically Korean.
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“They shamed me into / being ashamed of you.”
~ People can be so cruel in their ignorance of a mother’s true love.
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Thanks Rosaliene, you understand a mother’s good intentions.
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A brilliantly, sad piece, Judy. One having me nodding along with each passing line, feeling ashamed by the reality of it all.
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Thanks Matthew, your comment is very kind, I appreciate your empathic heart.
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Appreciating what our moms did for us growing up is something to cherish.
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Thank you for your beautiful comment. Moms do so much behind the scenes. I miss my mom and writing is my way to be close to her and find a kind of closure.
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You’re very welcome. I remember so much that my mom did for me and I try to keep in touch with her as often as I can. I’m glad can be close to you through your writings.
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