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Grandma's Purse

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Everyday is Mother's Day (Remembering Mama)


I remember her smile and
butter brown skin.
I remember the swishing sound of her
silk slips and girdles as she walked to the kitchen.
I remember her pink handbag and matching shoes.
I remember her Diva like attitude.
I remember spankings and long talk
about being a girl.
I remember Bible lessons and singing.
I remember candy sweets and cornbread dressing.
I remember a house so clean you could
eat off the floor.
I remember your iron fist in a velvet glove
I remember your awesome love.
I remember all this and more. I remember all this and more.
Happy Belated Mother's Day

33 comments:

rachel awes said...

dear, dear, dear, this is!
i love how you can draw an
illustration & although not
a "real" photo, there is
something real about it because
somehow it carries deep story
& feeling that touches
me heart-center.
what a lovely & honest tribute
& love every inch.x

rachel awes said...

oops,
i just re-read my entry
& saw
"me heart-center"
vs. "MY!!"...
it sounds like
i'm an
interesting character there!! ;)

Krista said...

Your Mama looks like an angel with her ruffly "wing" and hat-halo! And from what you remember, sounds like she really was!!

Jane Wilson said...

She looks like and sounds like a sweet force to be reckoned with! Very Precious!

k.h.whitaker said...

ok, so I posted twice on this on WAWE already. I'm feeling sentimental now. I wish, wish, wish I had memories like this of my own mother so I could tell my girls about her. I'm so deeply sorry for your losses Vanessa. This is so lovely and heartfelt, the illustration and the poem.

Cheryl Lynn Pastor Romance Author said...

This is so amazing. I love this illustration for so many reasons. The nostalgic feel, the cuteness of the little one and the fierce protectiveness of the mother.

This righting is beautiful. I love you so much. You are just brilliant, that goes without saying.

Lins Artyblobs said...

Lovely illustration & you're pretty good with words too!

Lauren Castillo said...

This is so sweet :)

Shell said...

The illustration and the words are perfect for remembering mama. Love it.

Nicola said...

Awww lovely words and beautiful illustration! I love the pose you have the mum in, and her lovely dress, it's all so cute!!

Peter Breese said...

Fantastic! Oh my, I've missed a bundle of posts... I have to hurry on down the line here!!! Ugh.... da_n I tripped... OK, here I go!

Sandra said...

I love the poem. Very beautiful and describes a lot of mom's I think. The illustration is great and you can really get a sense that these two have a special relationship. Great job.

Desiree said...

Beautiful post sweety!

Bella Sinclair said...

Darling V, this is much better than chicken soup, both your beautiful illustration and your loving poem. It stirs up a lot of wonderful memories and just radiates with pride, and rightly so. I love how you describe the swishing of her silk slips. I know that sound and remember hearing it with my own mother. What a beautiful tribute.

Ooooooohhhhh, a printing press imported from England! How EXCITING! Ohh, I am soooo jealous. I should have guessed that the personal letterpress would be too wimpy. You will definitely need something industrial strength to keep up with demand! Wooooooooo!

Love you, Nester, to the moon and beyond!

roberta baird said...

Aw V... you made me think of my mama with her red shoes and matching handbag! And no one smells better and hugs better then mom!

You know my dear you'll have a poem dedicated to you too one day... by your little dumpling! She also has a great mama!

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Most delightful----checking in late as I am still on *hand-recovery* (and not behaving! hahaha!)
I remember a lot of the same sounds...nylons and girdles and slips and the click-click-click of heels on a wood floor, hustling around before Mass, trying to get *someone* ready......getting my butt whupped--oh yeah!
I guess all the nostalgia is what has driven me back to vintage clothes, gloves (which I sometimes have to make since cotton ones are no longer sold), stockings, and yes---A GIRDLE! (it's better than dieting honey! you can EAT and still smash into your dress!)
And getting my leg muscles back for my high heels....
Thank you for a delightful trip down memory lane.... :)

XXOO!!
Anne

Megan Coyle said...

What a fun illustration! And such lovely words too :) a very sweet Mother's Day post.

MrBibleHead said...

A great tribute to your mom and all moms. Thanks Vanessa! Your work always brings out emotion.

Bella Sinclair said...

There is no such thing as a bad Skittle, green ones included.

*Mwah*

Kay Aker said...

Tender and lovely tribute!

Joy Steuerwald said...

Vanessa, this is so touching and lovely. Your poem is wonderful and so heart felt, my eyes are still wet from reading it. I love every memory and detail you included. You're another person that just makes the world a better place because you're here!

Oh, did I mention how gorgeous the illustration is? So much personality and love in there. You're brilliant. Plain and simple.

Unknown said...

you always pull on my heartstrings my sweet Vanessa!!! This is beautiful and such a wonderful tribute to your Mama...

Hugssssssssssssssssss
Diana

Ben Clanton said...

Simply awesome!

Mónica said...

Have a great weekend :) hugs

justdoodleit said...

Fantastically moving and charming tribute. It is always fun to remember parents from our childhood memories...apart from memorable instances, they always seem to appear so huge because we were so tiny and our perspective then, was from a worm's eye-view.
...btw, thanks for the enthusiastic comment :)

michael robertson said...

so beautiful, V!...both the words and the image. you totally rock at everything! happy belated mother's day!

Eve said...

Very nice illustration and poem. I love the "iron fist in a velvet glove" analogy. The purse really stands out in the picture, and my mom used to have a couple of those as well!!

Melinda Stanley said...

Oh Vanessa! I love this! Love your work as always but the accompanying text is sooo nice. Really great piece. It can't help but warm my heart! Happy Belated Mother's Day to you! :)

donny* said...

this is beautiful! :)

AtelierBrigitte said...

This is adorable!

Tomás Serrano said...

What a wonderful technique you use here. I love it!

Nita Jo said...

Love the image, that is a beautiful poem! Makes me think of my Grandma who raised me, although for her it would say red handbag & shoes). But the cornbread stuffing, the swishy slips,the talks, etc. All so familiar. Made me smile!

Blessings!
Nita Jo

Eric Barclay said...

This is lovely!