Monday 12 April 2010

Magpie 9 - Pancake


my mother at her mirror

me lying on her bed

watching

her lips pursing curling pouting

smiling

at the ruddy love stick

sliding across her face

tracing a perfect curve

her powder puff and compact

the finishing touches to her make over

one last inspection an angled glance

into a palm sized oval mirror

ready for the bus driver

24 comments:

Jennifer said...

You captured that private little moment beautifully. I could see your mother; I could see all of us women doing the same thing and imagining our thoughts.

Katherine said...

Oh wow! As I was reading this, I had visions of my own mother getting ready for work. Dressed in her crisp white nurses uniform, navy cape & nurses hat. I remember watching her put her lipstick on & thinking how glamorous she looked. Hoping that someday I too would be pretty like her.Thanks for bringing this memory out of the crevices of my mind!

joanna said...

Yes a lovely piece, it took me down memory lane as well. A zen moment -- watching my mother--

Joanny

Anonymous said...

Even being old as dirt, I still put on lipstick when I go out. Not to flirt but to cover up the sagging lines. LOL. Blessings
QMM

Brian Miller said...

you took me right back there...wonderfully written...

Tess Kincaid said...

...the ruddy love stick. Brilliant. That last sideways glance was just perfect.

chiccoreal said...

Steve: How we do imprint the minute actions of our mothers in such simple everyday moments as they moved so slowly back then, when we were kids. These movements capsulated like a time machine of love. Lovely flashbacks, so tender and sweet! Reminds me of watching my mom the first art as we learn about how to "do" life right. I particularly like;

"smiling
at the ruddy love stick".

A very pleasant and dreamlike recall of life through a child's eyes.

Jan of Thousand Acres said...

Enchanting, the awakening of memories. Lovely poem, nice use of the prompt.

PattiKen said...

This brought me back to that place. Isn't it interesting how the image of her mother putting on lipstick stays in a little girl's memory forever.

Catalyst said...

Very nicely written, Steve! It paints a picture (pun not intended)!

RNSANE said...

You certainly brought back my childhood and hours of lying on my mother's bed, entranced, as she prepared to go to work. Once she left, I'd sit at the dressing table and open all the lipsticks and jars and potions and gaze in awe, wondering when I'd finally have my own collection!

Tumblewords: said...

Ah, memories. This is lovely!

christine said...

Such a wonderful word picture, quite captivating.

Christine

rel said...

Good job.
pictured the visuals very easily.
rel

Stella Jones said...

Oh I remember too... My mother only had one lipstick and that was red. She had a powder compact but nothing else. How life has changed! Thanks for the memories. Your poem is lovely.
Star

Enchanted Oak said...

Perfect. The bus driver was an amazing last touch.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

I am with you when reading it,
vivid and neat!

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/because-she-is-plain-magpie-tale/

my first one!

amy said...

This was great! ...made me wonder what memories my children will have of me, watching that beauty routine.

Peter Goulding said...

The bus driver at the end did it for me.
My wife still makes me put on a clean t-shirt when we go to the supermarket!

M. Reka said...

Hahaha this reminded me of my mum getting ready to go out :D Very well done :)
Marinela

You can visit my page here:
Short Poems

Thank you x

Anonymous said...

Oh my, I did that this morning...for the pest man. All this time I thought I was becoming my mother and now it seems I'm becoming yours. Just gorgeous, Steve. Thanks.

Unspoken said...

Reminiscent of many mothers and the children watched them.

Alex Daw said...

Hey Steve - look at all your lovely comments !!! Fantastic stuff. It is an enduring image isn't it...mothers at mirrors....always checking that they still exist....