Mother's Day : tips from a mother

I have, in my time, gone looking for advice -

sat at the knees of sage pundits,

sat with old women picking clean their rice;

wizened bodies housing wise souls, rheumy eyes,

stacks of life lessons, tips and tricks.

And each in their way, this is what they've said,

my child, don't label things too quick.

Be at home right inside your skin and head.

Every moment is its own watershed,

spot the shining silver in it.

Today I'd like to pass this on to you -

that everything has a nugget,

a core, a thread, and even scrap's got value;

you can't build with pure silver. It needs bamboo,

clay baked hard and hot into bricks.