perry fogel

A letter to Mom

Mother hen and baby chick Short story by Perry F. There was once a mother hen who was all white. Her mouth and her crown were red and her voice was strong and smooth. She lived in a shed near a small lake. She liked to make funny sounds with her mouth and fuddle around in the grass. One day, she laid some eggs, and they were fertile. There were 11 eggs in total and she took great care of them. She stopped playing with the frogs and whispering to the clouds and spent all day sitting on her eggs, making sure they were warm and protected. She sang to them songs that she remembered her own mother singing to her, when she was still a thumping heartbeat inside an egg, learning what it meant to be alive. When it was time for the eggs to hatch, she made a small opening on each of the eggs with her beak and watched as each of her chicks found their way out. Some came out instantly and were full of sunshine. Some were more hesitant and a little bit afraid. They were all beautiful. She gathered them all around her and spread her wings wide so that every bit of them felt warm and safe. She vowed to herself to be the best mother hen she had ever seen and care for them with all of her heart. And she did just that. Every morning she would wake up excited to feed and nurture them, and every night she would go to sleep happy to have spent another day with them. When they grew older and stronger, she taught them how to dig for worms, how to clean their plumes, and how to stay warm in winter. She also taught them how to sing and play. They were happy chicks who spent many hours running in the sun and frolicking in the water.