Momma helped me put my dress on.
The one that I had saved to buy.
She slowly brushed and fixed my hair.
Prolonging our good-bye.
It seemed so dark to leave our house,
Than Momma took my hand.
“You have to go to school, sweetheart;
I hope you understand.”
She hugged me tight, then quickly stood;
“I’ll walk with you a ways.”
I slipped my hand within her own
As we walked through morning haze.
At the top of the hill is where she stopped,
Saying, “You know just what to do.
I’ll be right here when you get home
With a hug saved just for you.”
I trudged on slowly down the road
While my heart was filled with dread.
I thought that she was tired of me,
No matter what she had said.
When the road curved, I turned to look
And I was shocked to see
Momma still standing on that hill
And she blew a kiss to me.
She wiped her eyes with her apron tail
And looked lonely on that hill –
I knew she would miss me all day long,
But she was sending me still.
“This must be important,” I silently thought
“Or she would never make me go.”
So I ran with my sisters to catch that bus
And to learn all I could know.
Copyright © 1998 by moleta ruth mccarter. All rights reserved.
