Do you know who you are,
   and from whence you came?
Do you know where your going ,
   or to you is it all the same?
Do you know your father,
   and his father before him?
Will you know your son,
   or are we just here by whim?
The opportunities you were given,
   by those who went before,
Will you pass them to your children,
   and give them even more?
What will you learn,
   from your father's fathers, son?
Will you just forget,
   all that they have done?
And so forgetting,
   break the binding glue,
And worse than that,
   forget your identity too.

I first met mom in '59.
I looked in her eyes and she looked in mine,
She sweetly said "you took your time".

She took me home to meet two brothers.
Then went back to the hospital and got two others!
Though one turned out to be a girl, 
- just a tougher brother with hair in curls.

Mom read us stories to spark our dreams,
 of worlds governed by honest queens,
 of fortunes made with magic beans,
 by taking risks - and what that means.

Mom and Dad had love to give.
Five kids and a dog is the way to live!
With just one bathroom to add some glib,
-it wasn't always easy I will not fib.

Dad played it smart and left early each day.
He left mom alone to quell the fray.
"Wait 'till your father gets home!" is all she could say.
Dad would return about 5:00 with a big bouquet,
-to a hot cooked meal and some Tanqueray.

Mom cooked for seven who ate like ten.
She would fill the fridge, then do it again!
Her shopping cart had a tandem pen,
 and our milk was delivered by two burly men!

Mom would often work out her fatigue,
 by knocking down pins for the bowling league.
A 220 average as her team took the win,
 and a record number of broken pins!

Mom taught us how to row our boat,
 to be sincere and honest and never gloat."
To be responsible, and always vote!

We miss our parents, we miss them a lot.
We remember the best, the rest forgot. 
But mom's advise forget I will not:

 "If a friend calls you, return the favor"
 "Don't gulp your food, life is to savor"

 "Say a blessing at dinner, dont forget you are blessed"
 "If you have somthing to say, get it off your chest"

 "Stand straight, don't slouch."
  -" and for heavens sake get off the couch!"

 "If your grouchy, take a nap."
 "And close the fridge, there's water at the tap."