Mom

This poem was written on my 35th birthday.  A mother gives you the gift that you can never pay back: the gift of life.  This poem was inspired by a picture of my newborn self with my mother.

You watched me grow

You watched me fail

You gave me life

You watched me flail

I was so young

And you so large

I didn’t know

You wouldn’t budge

You told me yes

I told you no

You held me close

I’d want to go

Your hold was tight

I’d put up fights

You always won

You were always right

And when I could

I ran so fast

I scrubbed and tried

To kill my past

But you were strong

And I was light

You always won

You were always right

And now that I am thirty five

I still struggle to stay alive

To do the things I want to do

To be myself, to live the truth

It’s often hard

I always fight

To try to understand who’s right

Because a mother is so very strong

A child can try her whole life long

To be who she will want to be

To build her world and plant her trees

Now you are but a fainting light

And no, you are not always right

Now I am strong

And I am brave

And I can stand

I do not cave

And you are but a fainting light

And now I am the one who’s right

**To reach out to the author of this poem, email rochel@nashimmagazine.com with the subject line: “contact mom poem”, and your message will be forwarded.