Mandy Brauer
Listen
She taught me to write.
The only attention I can
remember fondly is
her reading aloud
when I was small.
At least she read
about a gentle world
although she
never knew one.
When I had to write
for school she said,
“Worry about spelling
and punctuation later.
Just let it out and
don’t stop until you
are finished.” After
that she added,
“Now consider clarity.
But always remember:
listen to the sounds,
hear their beauty.”
For that alone I can
now love my mother.
Even though she’s
gone, I still write,
then read aloud to her.
Mandy is a child psychologist who loves to write about almost anything. She’s published several picture books in Arabic and English to help children understand themselves and their world better. She and her husband divide their time between Egypt and Indonesia where they love to go for long walks along the Nile or traipse through lush rice paddies.