If I Could

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would give to her, my mom

A heated toilet seat

A walk in bath

A massage every night

For her tired aching feet

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would give to her, my mom

A kiss every hour just because

A hug each time I entered and left

Her room

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would give to her, my mom

Warm blankets all day long

Warm slippers for the nights

Warm pajamas to soothe her well used body

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would give to her, my mom

Long Loving looks into her eyes

And say

Thank you…

Thank you every time

My skin brushed her's

I would say thank you

Every time I drew a breath

I would say thank you

Every time a tear fell

Or a gush of laughter burst forth

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would give to her, my mom

More appreciation for

Every feather

Every ribbon

Every button

Every rubber band

Every paper clip

Every piece of saved paper “just in case”

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would give to her, my mom

Praise just for being my mom

Instead of being upset because she was not like me

And every moment of everyday

I would thank her for the all of me that is

Just like her

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would give to her, my mom

More Prayers upon my knees every night and

At each dawn

Thanking God for her, my mom

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would bring her back - my mom

Photo of Eleanor Ormsby Hughes Finley, my mom

Poem by Maryanne Mesplé April 17, 2016