my mother was very young
when she married and started a family,
she was kept very busy raising
my two sisters and me.

she raised a huge garden
planting corn and peas in a row,
then came tomatoes and cucumbers
lots of veggies to hoe.

she milked our huge black cow
every morning and night,
she was up and working
just at the beginning of daylight.

my mother sewed and made our clothes
canned veggies and made soap,
she washed on a washboard
pulled water from a well by a rope.

mother never complained as she hung her wash
on a clothesline in the yard,
she cooked us delicious meals
never saying she was just too tired.

her pies and cakes all were from scratch
the chocolate icing was so good,
I have tried to do all she did
but so far it seems I never could.

the dried apples and preserves
sugar cookies and snow-cream,
all these were winter treats
to sample again would be in a dream.

mother has been gone for many years
I miss our time together every day,
If only she could visit again
but she has gone to heaven to stay.

.