Mother's Day

She lost one to pneumonia, gave the other to prison

and now she spends mother's day sitting in her kitchen

Looking at the pictures of her past felt surreal

She had a couple of people, some friends that helped her heal

But days like today, she doesn't want to be a bother

and as far as she's concerned, them boys didn't have a father

Nuh uh, she had to teach 'em the ways

Teach 'em how to behave, be brave and even how to shave

Some days it makes her feel like a soldier

and other times it makes her feel like a failure

Why did the stronger one die from a cold, huh?

Why did the smarter one end up in jail? Nah

She gave them boys everything that she could

Two full-time jobs to keep 'em in a good neighborhood

They understood how to love and how to live

Now she doesn't understand how it comes down to this

Maybe she should go work in her yard

and take her mind off the past and try to let the days start

But she's waiting on one of those annual calls

while she's looking at the photos on her hallway walls

His big sibling died, and mom's by herself

and now he spends every day inside of that cell

Looking at the photos of his past makes him crash

So he never takes 'em out that folder under his mattress

Days like today he doesn't think about what happened, no

Still gotta call mommy, wish her a happy one

Uh huh, mom, if only she'd had been around

Maybe big brother would still be living now

Some days it makes him feel like a traitor

and other times it makes him feel like a martyr

Seems like some displacement of anger

Seems like he blames her more than his father

She was gone all the time at work

Never around to play the part of the police or the nurse

She understood how things fall apart

So why'd she let the nest hit the ground this hard?

Well maybe he should go walk in the yard

and take his mind off the past and try to let the days start

Cause it's so difficult to admit it's his fault

when he's looking at the faces in his hallway walls