~ I O U ~

~ I O U ~

You know most people look through their wallets or their pocketbooks and way down at the bottom past the credit cards, baby pictures and green stamps you usually find a little old dog eared piece of poetry

I was cleaning out my wallet the other day and I ran across a whole bunch of I.O.U.'s. Some of them thirty years overdue. Funny thing is that all these I.O.U.'s are owed to one person. And . . . I kinda feel like right now might be a a pretty good time for an accounting

"Mom, you listening . . ."

Mom, I owe you for so many things
A lot of services
Like night watchman for instance
For lying awake nights listening
For coughs, cries, creaking floorboards
And me coming in too late

You had the eye of an eagle
The roar of a lion, but you always
Had a heart as big as a house

I owe you for services as a
Short order cook, chef, baker
For making sirloin out of hamburger
Turkey out of tuna fish
And two big old strapping boys
Out of leftovers

I owe you for cleaning services
For the daily scrubbing of face and ears
All work done by hand
And for the frequent dusting
Of a small boy's pants to try to
Make sure that he led a spotless life

And for washing and ironing
No laundry could ever do
For drying the tears of childhood and for
Ironing out the problems of growing up

I owe you for service as a bodyguard
For protecting me from the terrors
Of thunderstorms, nightmares
And too many green apples

And Lord knows I owe you
For medical attention
For nursing me through measles, mumps
Bruises, bumps, splinters and spring fever

And let's not forget medical advise either
Oh no, important things like, don't scratch it
Or it won't get well
Or if you cross your eyes
They're gonna stick like that

And probably the most
Important advice of 'em all
Be sure you got on clean underwear, boy
In case you're in an accident

And I owe you for veterinarian services
For feeding every lost dog that I
Dragged home at the end of a rope
And for healing the pains of puppy love

And I owe you for entertainment
Entertainment that kept the household
Going during some pretty tough times
For wonderful productions at
Christmas, 4th of July and birthdays
And for making "make believe" come true
On a very limited budget

I owe you for construction work
For building kites, confidence
Hopes and dreams and somehow
You made 'em all touch the sky

And for cementing a family together
So it would stand the worst kinds
Of shocks and blows and for laying down
A good strong foundation to build a life on

I owe you for carrying charges
For carrying me on your books
For the necessities of life
That a growing boy just gotta have
Things like a pair of high top boots
With a Little pocket on the side
For a jackknife

And one thing, Mom, I will never ever forget
When there were only two pieces
Of Apple pie left and three hungry people
I noticed that you were the one
Who suddenly decided that you really
Didn't like Apple pie in the first place

These are just a very few of the things
For which payment is long overdue
The person I owe 'em to
Worked very cheap
She managed by simply doing without
A whole lotta things that she needed herself

My I.O.U.'s add up to much more
Than I could ever hope to repay
But you know the nicest thing about it all
Is that I know that she'll mark
The entire bill paid in full
For just one kiss and four little words

"Mom, I love you" . . .

Performed by
Jimmy Dean

� Denim & Lace 2010

"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever."

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