Witnessing you is my prayer

You of me are as I was of her

You will always be the compass

You point me to my inner prayer

 

Mama with her Sunday obsession

of baked marble cakes and fried butter scones

You of me are as I was of her

Order and routine is to your world as to hers

we may lament at times but you keep us all on our toes

You will always be the compass

Crossing milestones and touching landmarks

you power through, my heart beats in awe outside my body

You point me to my inner prayer

 

In the sameness that surprises

Of differences that define

Of puzzles, of brilliance, of patterns

 

Mama at her dresser table array

you peer into your compact, squinting into being grown up

in the sameness that surprises

I recall walking home from school into mama’s arms

I recount, often, walking home from work into your chatter

of differences that define

Your royal blue dress at high school prom

My ink blue outfit at your brother’s wedding

of puzzles, of brilliance, of patterns

 

Strung together, from mine and hers

You became an invitation to fairy lights

That dazzle and dim as they

evoke her magnanimity

possess my courage

define your grace