Mother Goose

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe

Well actually, she lived in two

A pair left to her by her mother by her mother

And so on, and so on, she lived like any other

~~~

She had so many children she didn’t know what to do

She fed them, tucked them into bed

All the while, in her head

Would she ever live up to the parents she knew?

~~~

She walked her daughter once to school

Was it the same as when she’d gone?

Her daughter spoke of old traditions

Founders forgotten, their legacy lived on

~~~

The woman wondered what she’d built

And what was from her mentors past

And what was gained from all the guilt

She knows she’s not the least or last

~~~

For all that she will leave behind

Her work, her kids, a poem or two,

That’s all she wants for peace of mind:

To leave a space for someone new

~~~

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe

Who lived like every person will

We learn, teach, give; we all continue

Living in the shoes we fill.