Full Circle

Full Circle

I used to roll my eyes at my Ma’s mood swings
When she would yell at me for the littlest things.

You must be crazy Ma! I would laugh and jeer,
Putting the fan at full speed in the dead of winter, Mamma dear!
You are shivering, Ma, do you have a fever?
Why else would a person wear a shawl in peak summer?

Her aches and pains buzzed around like busy bees,
Yesterday her left heel hurt, today she can’t bend her knees
That childhood fall took all these years to bother her again,
Can I guess Ma? Tomorrow which part of your body will pain!

Well, the gods were sure listening, keeping score of my taunts,
Now they’ve sent me the full package, not just painful aching joints
I am so fatigued, some days feel such a chore,
Hot flushes, hunger pangs, , I can’t take it anymore!

Now I am the one with pendular mood swings,
Yelling at people for the littlest things.
I wish I had known then what a bitch menopause is
I would have hugged Ma tight and said,
“You are amazing Ma, we’ve got this!”