THE READING MOTHER


By


Strickland Gillilan


With Alternating Additions


By


Teresa Thomas Bohannon





I HAD A MOTHER who read to me


Sagas of pirates, who scoured the sea,


Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,


"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.





I TOO HAD A MOTHER who read to me


Tales of fairies who danced on the breeze,


Wings that glittered by day and glimmered by night,


Brownies and elves that played wild and free.





I had a Mother who read me lays


Of ancient and gallant and golden days;


Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,


Which every boy has a right to know.





I too had a Mother who read words that sang


Of wondrous lands and magic yesterdays;


Stories of Marion and Beth and Jo,


Which every girl has a right to know.





I had a Mother who read me tales


Of Celert the hound of the hills of Wales, 


True to his trust till his tragic death,


Faithfulness blent with his final breath.





I too had a Mother who read to me 


Of Unicorns, and horses and fairy tales,


Full of truth and trust, cleverness and life,


And little life lessons sheathed in strife.





I had a Mother who read me the things


That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-


Stories that stir with an upward touch,


Oh, that each mother of boys were such.





I had a Mother who gave me the gift


Of heart truths and courage and wings to life’s journey-


Myths and legends that lend strength to the night,


Oh, that the mother of all girls were wisely thus.





You may have tangible wealth untold;


Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.


Richer than I you can never be --


I had a Mother who read to me.





You may have beauty to spare and trinkets galore;


Toys and trimmings and be envied more.


But more fortunate than I you never can be --


For I had a Mother who gave me whole worlds


…and taught me to dream.