I was 5 and my brother was 8 years old when we left Calabria and came to New York. My Mom was 34 and my
Dad was 35. We lived in a small town in Calabria named Mongrassano.
My Mother and Father were both born in the same town and knew each other their whole life. In 1970
The economics in Italy were not good. No one was paying my Dad and we had no money. I remember my Mom
telling me they had to borrow money to pay for our Airline tickets to New York. My Mom’s family was already in
New York, they had left Calabria in the early 60’s. I can’t imagine what it was like for my parents to leave their
home, family, town, and their friends with two little children. They only spoke Italian no English. America was not
like it is today. If you didn’t speak English it was up to you to get someone who can to translate for you.
I wish I had the strength, focus and energy My Mother had when we were growing up.
5am my mother would wake up make lunch for herself and my father and of course make coffee
6 am she would wake me and my brother up give us breakfast
6:30 am she would be on out the door and walking to her factory job where she sewed.
4 pm she walked back in the house clean up from the morning and get dinner started
6pm we would be finished with dinner she would then clean the dishes by hand sweep and wash the floor
7pm we would all watch wheel of fortune
I on the other hand
6:30 am make coffee watch TV
7 am wake up the girls make them breakfast go back to watching TV
7:30 am run around make my kids lunch, scream and yell for everyone to get ready
8:00 run out of the house with my PJ to drive the kids to school (thank god for drop off)
8:05 procrastinate until 8:30 then
8:30 run around try to get ready for work
9:15 late again for work and I am only 2 minutes away
5 pm get home watch more TV until I figure out what I am going to cook
7 pm finish cooking ready to eat
8pm finish cleaning up
8:30 kids are in bed
9 pm I am in bed and surfing the net while I am listening to the TV in bed while my husband is sleeping
I admire My Mom I wish I can do half of what she did for me.
She never complained, I never saw her sick if she was we never knew. Now as I am older and have two daughters I
can finally understand her. I have respect for who she is and what she did for our family. Thanks to my mother I
was able to go back to work while she took care of my girls.
I can never repay her for all she has done for me.
Once in a while she will say you go crazy do so much with your kids I never did anything for you, and I say to her
What you did for me was enough I was happy. I have no regrets all children want is their parents and I had them. I
wrote this poem in 1982 for my Mom and 34 years later I am finally going to give it to her so here it is translated in
English. Happy Mother’s day to all.
For the most Caring Mama,
Mama is a small name for you
The work that you do is much greater than you know
It's hard to always have the house clean and to go to work
With time my brother and I will be grown
When we were small we always called out your name
If we were sick we always shouted your name
And you always ran to us
I love you not only today but forever
Because you gave me life, helped me to see, to speak, and live
I know that we are not them same
It is difficult to get along all the time
I am from one generation and you are from another
And I know that at certain times I'm a Witch
Please forgive me
The word that is important is love
Mama I love you when I am at home
I Love you when I am at work
I love you where ever I am in the world
You have my heart forever.
