To: Mom(s Everywhere) – Hey Girl!!

To: Mom(s Everywhere) – Hey Girl!!

By: Husam (Sam) Salman

There was something that you would say to me

Every day that would jostle me and awaken me

From my slumber. “I love you.”

I’ll never forget the mornings I would wake

You up, when I was 5, asking you what channels

All the cartoons were on.  Jon and Dena by my

Side.  We wrecked havoc on your sanity and

Peace. Redesigning the clean to the disorderly

In 5 minutes flat. (or less)

My dad, with his male pattern boldness, didn't have

The mind of a leader, he was more American,

Concerned with himself – I’m still learning that

Lesson (hard).  But girl, you found the strength

Scattered amongst our Lego’s and Monopoly money -

Look at her standing there, alone and poised for

Protection of her young while breast feeding the world.

I’m older than my mom by 10 years,

In my head, but sometimes, sometimes

She surprises me and pulls some Buddha insight

That blows my mind.  Her tenacity, mine!

She taught me to stay, stand my ground and

Not run. Den mother to my rebellion.

Iconoclast – I don’t know what this beat

Is, but it sounds like jungle and reggae!

Even when faced with the hard choices

You remain true to yourself – your beliefs

Never seemed to falter – except when

We nagged you for a Twix or Kit-Kat bar at

The checkout stand – Armenian Bodega  

The corner market. I remember the day,

I told you I could walk home from school

On my own, I was 5, and we lived ½ a block

Form Portola Elementary, Glendale, but

I found myself standing there, waiting for

You to keep me safe, not wanting to let

Her little baby out of her sight for too long,

And you did, arrived like you did every

Other day. I can’t express to you the joy I

Had at that moment, (mostly because I

Forgot…). These trials, which would tear

The rest of mankind a new one, but not you

You just keep trekking on like it’s a Tuesday.  

When I think back at the pressure you and

Dad had, moving us to America, two weeks

Before Iraq and Iran played slap and tickle

With human lives. You took us, to New Babylon

Under blue skies – away from the harm

Of bombs crashing (not everyone was so lucky).

Mom, you’re so modest and humble by nature

Saying you ‘don’t know’, when all the while

You obviously do!  Your accolades on your tool

Belt – ready to fire wisdom at a moment’s need.

I don’t know if I told you, but you’re my friend, one

Of the best I've ever known, and my hero…

I think you struggled the same as everyone else, just

SO MUCH MORE than most – but your refinement

And stubbornness inspires me to aspire to you.

Your life has not been easy
but you’re still making it through, and girl…

I’m really proud of you.

Mom, I love you too!