Oh Very Young

I see a house that’s quiet And she sits there alone Her hands hold patterned pieces Of cloth she has sewn Blocks from boy’s printed shirt tails And girl’s soft flowered silk Mixed and matched together To make each child a quilt Too seldom these precious moments pass She could call all her own Times for reflection and prayer For her family & home She’d fallen to sleep The day’s toll had taken; From the washing, ironing, cooking & baking Each day a new challenge A small body to build A young mind to enrich Cut fingers to be healed- Mama could do most everything Even mend your broken kite When she bent down to hold you- Everything got all right Mama was doctor, big sister Best playmate & brother School teacher, good friend And our sweet mother Her big lap held us all When a story she read She heard prayers, kissed each Then, tucked all into bed Mama taught us the bible She taught us to sing Throughout our big house Happy music did ring She pumped the old organ, All around her we stood Blending are young voices As she knew she could Her days were full and busy With five tads to look after Sometimes there were tears But, most times the laughter There were cheeks to kiss Chubby little hands to smack Baths to be given School lunches to pack So many things to be done But short was her life She died so very young A wonderful mother and wife With misty eyes and heavy heart I sorted her personal things Old keepsakes, letters, pictures and her wedding ring Not much left to show For a lifetime of love But remembered, Mama stored her treasures-above She had no time to finish The stitch on soft silk So, to each child was left- Mama’s unfinished quilt.