~ Waiting ~

She never closed her eyes in sleep,
till we were all in bed;
On party nights till we came home,
she often sat and read.
We little thought about it then,
we were young and gay.
We only knew she never slept when,
we were out at night,
And that she waited just to know
that we'd come home alright.
 
Why sometimes when we'd stayed away,
till one or two or three,
It seemed to us that Mother heard
the turning of the key,
For always when we'd stepped inside
she'd call and we'd reply,
But we were all too young just then
to understand just why,
Until the last one had returned
she always kept a light.
For Mother couldn't sleep until
she'd kissed us all good night.
She had to know that we were safe
before she went to rest.

She seemed to fear the world might
harm, the one's she loved the best.
And once she said "when you are grown
to woman and to man"
Perhaps I'll sleep the whole night then
And so it seemed that night and day
we knew a Mother's cares,
That always when we got back home
we'd find her waiting there.

Then came the night that we're called
to gather round her bed.
"The children are all with you now"
The kindly Doctor said.
And in her eyes there gleamed again
the old time tender light
That told she had been waiting  just
to know we were alright.
She smiled the old familiar smile
and prayed to God to keep
Us safe from harm throughout the years,
and then she went to sleep.