Mama

Yo Mama, Osama, Obama Challenge--Almost Dead Poets Society (I chose to cover the mother theme)

 

Mama

My 1^st memory of you

I awoke from the crib I was sleeping in / in your bedroom / next to you

I saw a ghost / a vision / of a man

in what I think today I would call early 1900s menswear

 

He just stood there / and I was immobile

You must have sensed my fear / or confusion

You got up to hold me / in your loose fitting nightgown

 

Later

You would come to my bedroom / when I had bad dreams

Bring me water

Read Aesop’s Fables to me / help me / fall asleep

 

You made me breakfast

 

You took me to get my puppy Fi’Fi’

who was full of fleas

We gave her a great life / didn’t we / Mama

 

You cleaned my skinned knees

You loved me / God / How you loved me

 

You tried to stop my father while he was beating me

 

I know every hit / on me / was a tear

in your heart / wasn’t it? / Mama

 

You only ever wanted for my happiness

 

I was your baby / but

I was treated like a b*****d child / by him / wasn’t I? / Mama

 

You brought me back from death / twice

Because / he was never there / like you / was he? / Mama

 

In my youth I prayed / imagined / fantasized

longed to find out I had a French father / someone more like you / Mama

 

I wished that you would leave him / run away with me /keep him from hitting me ever again / but

I know today / nothing is ever that easy

 

You were so full of love / so kind /even to those who hurt you

You were a saint / Mama

I never in my life have met anyone / as good as you / Mama

 

I remember the tears / the sadness overtaking your lovely face / when I left home at 16

Leaving you alone / with him /haunts me

I hated / positively hated / that I couldn’t save you

Just as you couldn’t save me /from our fated existence

 

When you died / I swear / a piece of you went into him / but

the manner in which my brother has behaved is unfathomable / my sister /oblivious

 

I persevere / Mama

 

I am a miracle

You willed me to live

 

You hug me in my dreams

 

You are the reason for my being

 

You are the good inside of me / You are my clapping heart

 

I applaud you

 

 

Mama

 

 

Reviews

[GoldnBold]

I think this is a wonderful way to celebrate womanhood. Giving words to what makes a connection between a mother and a daughter...a daughter's hurt pain and fear over losing her mother...I believe this should definitely be heard.