Your Mother's Handwriting

Verse 1

You were cleaning out the cupboards Three months after she was gone Found a yellow recipe card Behind a box of something old

“Two cups flour, one cup sugar” Written leaning to the right Then underneath, “Don’t overmix it” And suddenly you couldn’t read the next line

Chorus

It’s your mother’s handwriting Blue ink fading into white Just a recipe for something She made a thousand times But there she is between the letters For a minute she’s alive Funny what can hold a person Your mother’s handwriting

Verse 2

There’s a grocery list beside it Milk and peaches, bread and thyme Nothing anybody thought Would need remembering at the time

You ran your thumb across her name Like somehow you could feel The hand that held the pen The hand that used to hold you still

Chorus

It’s your mother’s handwriting Blue ink fading into white Just a list of ordinary things She needed on a Friday night But there she is between the letters For a minute she’s alive Funny what can hold a person Your mother’s handwriting

Bridge

We save the photographs The wedding rings The things we know we’re supposed to keep

Nobody tells you It’ll be the note that says “Back around three” That brings you to your knees

Final Chorus

So keep your mother’s handwriting Even if the paper tears Put it somewhere safe and someday You’ll be glad you know it’s there Because voices get a little harder To remember over time But some part of her is waiting In every crooked line

Your mother’s handwriting.

Outro

Two cups flour One cup sugar Don’t overmix it.