William H.A. Willbond MSM, CD

MISSING MOM

Billy and his Mom at Camp Ipperwash, 1955
Billy and his Mom
Camp Ipperwash, Canada, 1955She was a great lady who hand raised her nine kids
She showed a great interest in all things that we did
Mom got us up early and we made our beds
|And each and every evening the rosary we said

She had an Irish sense of humour, she loved a good joke
She'd a coffin ship brogue, with an Irish accent she spoke
Raised up the Gatineau near a rural village, Martindale
She taught us Irish songs and she told us Irish tales

Carrying huge baskets of diapers that she hung on the line
She looked after our Grandpa until it was his time
Vegetables from her huge garden, her children were fed
She hugged and she kissed us and then put us to bed

Veronica McCaffrey was called Mrs. Monica Willbond
Of her 16 brothers and sisters she was very, very fond
They are all gone now and so is my Mom
I missed her this month when they sang Irish songs

I had a dream this morning as I sat in my lazy boy chair
I saw Mom in the room with her blue eyes and dark hair
Mom packed my suitcase and took the streetcar to the train
I went off to the Army and never really came home again