A Mother's Road

She came back,
like springtime in a city,
flowers sprouting
through cracked pavement.

Her voice,
her hands,
Once tangled in pills,
grew steady.
Held on.
Held me.

She never told me much about it,
just laid bricks beneath her feet
and walked forward,
built a new path,
day after day,
like she meant it.

She wasn't perfect,
didn't need to be.
Just real.
There.

And when the world fell
out from under me,
she held it up.

She still carries the guilt
like an anchor around her neck,
but when I needed her
she gave it all.

It was enough.