Mother Died Today

By David Lehman

Mother died today. That’s how it began.Or maybe yesterday, I can’t be sure.I gave the book to my mother in the hospital. She read the first sentence. Mother died today. She laughed and said you sure know how to cheer me up. The telegram came.It said, Mother dead Stop Funeral tomorrow Stop. Mother read it in the hospital and laughed at her college boy son. Or maybe yesterday,I don’t remember. Mama died yesterday. The telegram arrived a day too late. I had already left. Europe is going down, the Euro is finished,and what does it matter? My mother served plum cake and I read the page aloud. Mother died today or yesterday and I can’t be sure and it doesn’t matter. Germany can lose two world wars and still rule all of Europe, and does it matter whether you die at 30 or 70? Mother died today. It was Mother’s day, the day she

died, the year she died. In 1940 it was the day that the Germans invaded Belgium and France and Churchill succeeded Chamberlain as Prime Minister. The telegram came from the asylum,the home, the hospital, the “assisted living”facility, the hospice,＊ the clinic. Your mother passed away. Heartfelt condolences. The price of rice is going up, and what does it matter? I’ll tell you what I told the nurse and anyone that asks.Mother died today.

(May 10, 2012)

母亲今日去世了。事情是这样开始的。或者可能是昨天，我也不确定。在医院里我把书递给我的母亲。她读了第一句话。母亲今日去世了。她笑了，说你可真知道怎么开解我。电报来了。它说，母亲死了句号葬礼明天句号。在医院里母亲读了这句话，笑话她正读大学的儿子。或者可能是昨天，我不记得了。妈妈昨天去世了。电报过了一天才姗姗来迟。我却早已经离开。欧洲正在沉沦，欧元已经完蛋，但这又怎样呢？我的母亲端来梅子糕，我大声读着报纸。母亲今日去世了，或者是昨天，我也不确定，这也无所谓。德国能在两次世界大战中败北却依旧统领整个欧洲，至于你是在30岁还是70岁去世这还重要吗？母亲今日去世了。这刚好是个母亲节，在她去世的这天，在她去世的这年。1940年的这一天，德国人入侵了比利时和法国，丘吉尔接任张伯伦成为了首相。电报来了，发自避难所、家中、医院、残障护理中心、临终关怀医院、还有诊所。令堂薨逝。衷心吊唁。粮米价格正在上涨，这又能怎样呢？我来告诉你我是如何回答护士和其他问询的人。母亲今日去世了。

（2012年5月10日）