I Have Booked My Flight Mother Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

If God has given you
the precious chance
to thank your mother now,
it's in advance
of that dark day when she
will close her eyes.
And then you wipe your brow
and scratch your knee,
when you first realise
that she is gone.

In desperation then
you start to fiddle mildly,
and fret like do all men
perhaps you wildly
imbibe the spirits, much of
also try cigars, a touch of,
you watch TV and DVD
onto James Bond,
perhaps you're fond
of chocolates
and ginger bits,
or licorice
an ice cream dish,
buy a new car,
read of the Czar,
jump from a plane,
hang from a crane,
try deep-sea diving
and race car driving,
have two short flings
with pretty things,
hunt grizzly bears
dabble in shares,
fly into space
then lift your face
sell rubic cubes
augment your boobs....

It won't be long
and you will find
that mothers are
not only kind,
but man's best friend
and woman's too.
She manages
your life for you.
She does this not
as you'd expect
for you the child,
you will detect
an lifelong interest
that won't wane
if you don't know,
I'll make it plain:
There is in human life
no other,
or greater force
than she who had
your siblings and
you and your brother,
and all the stress
would drive one mad,
yet she prevailed
and now she's old
makes sure that when
you need be told
how to manoeuver
cars and blenders
to stay away from
fender-benders
and how to talk
on your own phone
how to avoid
(if you are prone)
the blasted flue
in this year's season
in short, if you
for any reason
just blink an eyelash
move a toe,
just ask your mom
she is the pro.

And when she rests
in that cold coffin
and you just stand there,
helpless boffin,
you talk to her
and say the things
that memory and
sadness brings.

So go right now,
when she's still home
give her a hug
and tell her that
you bought her a new
garden gnome
and that you loved
that pretty hat.
That you can't wait
to have her cook
and would she
autograph her book.
And do not wait
for her to ask
what kind of childhood
you kids had,
and even if you
need a mask
to do what's right
for her, for you
exaggerate, exaggerate,
believe you me
what you recall
is never all,
is never all.