My Mother Always Says

My mother always 
says once you die,
you become a saint.

No one remembers the 
cranky nights or pervasive
foul moods - the tears you've 
caused or the days and nights
that never seemed to end.

Yet once you're gone,
it's smiles that are recalled -
the good times and happy moments. 

The other things somehow
just become much missed
personality quirks.