For My Mother

I wrote this for my mum. As it's just about still Mothers' (Mother's?) Day, I thought I'd post it.

Sixteen years ago

I was scared and angry at

ghosts with guns

And you held me and told me

You were scared too

I could tell you had

no idea what to say;

Who would?

But in amongst the horror

and the demons

and the realisation that the world

is an awful place - a hard lesson

for a little girl -

I felt loved

Now every year

On Mother’s Day

(which falls around

the same time as the anniversary

of the ghost

with a gun)

I remember that feeling

And I’m glad that

You’re there for me

Like I hope I will be there for

my children

because scared or not,

being loved matters

most of all

So please remember

You are loved by me

Just as I am loved by you