Our Mother never had many luxuries
The bare essentials were hard to come by
With seven growing children to feed and clothe
Our parents had a very hard life
Mother’s birthday was only a few days off
And we all needed shoes for school
So, Daddy went to Williamson on the train
Looking sharp as a razor, as a rule
Daddy came home with shopping bags
Shoes for us and a Sporting News for him
And, when he took out a brightly wrapped box
He just looked at Mother and grinned
Smiling as he handed her the box
Daddy insisted that she open it early
As she tore at the paper and saved the bow
Our Mother looked coquettish and girly
Inside were a Kodak and a roll of film
No gift could have pleased her more
Thinking of the memories she could save
And all the fun in store
Mother marched us all into the front yard
With seven pairs of brand new shoes
Snapping and posing, it was no time flat
Before that whole roll was used
She mailed the film and ordered the prints
And waited impatiently for them to come
The day arrived when the mailman brought
Twelve pictures of Mother’s thumb
As she finally read the instruction booklet
Mother’s face suddenly developed a frown
It was then she realized that in her haste
She had held the camera upside down
Saving money for another roll of film
Mother’s picture-taking never waivered
She turned out to be an avid photographer
Leaving permanent memories for us to savor
Kathleen McCoy Eldridge
Rocky McCoy
© April 20, 2014
All Rights Reserved
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