Mothering Mothers

and their children who are melting away

To all the mothers who worry about their children — big and small. (Image on CANVA)

Sylvia Stern doesn’t know what to do
with her skinny son Simon
(towering six-foot-two)

She offers him bagels,
and blintzes with jam
she makes him beef brisket
and potatoes with lamb

She stirs and she slaves
over kugel and compote,
but all Simon says is
“Mother, please don’t!”

“But look at you! You’re melting away!
(Sylvia Stern will often say)
What kind of boy,
what kind of Jew
sits at a table
not touching my stew!
Here, taste a little
just try a bit,
my food is always a yummy hit!”

Simon’s wife Sara is pregnant — hooray!
(Sylvia Stern will feed someone today!)
She’s carrying twins
and hungry all the time
she’ll eat Sylvia Stern’s pie
and go into labor by nine