On May 6, 1988, my mother wrote this. [My professor] gave me an A, but he said although I was sometimes brilliant, and never bad, I was often dippy. But he gave me the A for my brilliance. It is hard for me to imagine my mother ever being dippy. She was silly from time …
Author: mapelba
I'm a writer, artist, teacher, mother, wife, daughter, friend, coffee addict... What else? A success, a failure, a mess, a fan, a hater of housework, a lover of dogs, a liberal, an obsessive, and a bunch of other things that probably would never occur to me. I reveal myself in more ways in my writings and art than in any list of adjectives. And whoever you are, I hope most of all that you are a reader.
Mind Your Manners
When I was 15, my mother wrote me this. You're approaching adulthood. Neither boys nor girls automatically know how to behave. Manners will get you through. That's what social manners are for. The other night a young woman sharing a table with me burped loudly. She didn't say excuse me or look around as if …
dress the part
I was in high school in the 80s when my mother wrote this. This money order is not just a Christmas present. People your age need to dress appropriately. As your mother, I'm going to add some advice about spending this money--you're probably going to get a lot of advice. Ignore everybody. Make yourself happy. …
A Writing Individual
I love NaNoWriMo and people who do things like this.
things of the future
My mother write this on October 11, 1989, three days before my birthday and thirty-five days before she passed away. You may be 21 now, but don't forget the things of your childhood--they keep you young forever. ... The other things are just stuff, some old, some new, you might be able to use. ... …
ideal mother
On December 28, 1984, my mother wrote: I love you very much, Marta. It's probably hard to believe sometimes--I know I'm difficult as a person, and nobody's idea of "Mother", but I never learned how to be anything but myself. I wish for you the same. What is everyone's idea of "Mother"?
leave home
A few days after I left for my freshman year of college, my mother wrote me this story. When I left home for the first time, I was 20, and it was 1964. The first Beatles record had come out that summer, and I took the Silver Meteor with my sister Susan up to D.C. …
It’s your choice.
In June of 1985 my mom wrote me this. I have thought long and hard about a lot of things. Since you have never really asked me for anything, nor reproached me for anything, your requests have a great deal of weight with me. I've always loved you as your mother, but let me say, …
you know the unicorn is there
In April of 1989, seven months before she passed away, my mom wrote this. You'll probably call this weekend, but I wanted to ask you how your reading went. Talk about being on the spot! To just say "I enjoyed your poetry" sounds rather insipid. I wish I were not your mother so I could …
you can judge
On my 19th birthday, my mom wrote me this. I really appreciate your sending me the copies of your poems; I know that took some courage. I enjoyed them, as poems. As a mother, of course, I have to wonder about contentm but I work at not doing that. Parents are never the ones to …
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 