To My Children

When I spill some food on my nice clean dress

Or maybe forget to tie my shoe,

Please be patient and perhaps reminisce

About the many hours I spent with you.

When I taught you how to eat with care,

Plus tying laces and your numbers, too,

Dressing yourself and combing your hair,

Those were precious hours spent with you.

So when I forget what I was about to say,

Just give me a minute — or maybe two.

It probably wasn't important anyway,

And I would much rather listen just to you.

If I tell the story one more time,

And you know the ending through and through,

Please remember your first nursery rhyme

When I rehearsed it a hundred times with you.

When my legs are tired and it's hard to stand

Or walk the steady pace that I would like to do,

Please take me carefully by my hand,

And guide me now as I so often did for you.

      by Virginia Bass

[I hope they don't mind us posting this.
It was too good to resist though.]