For 9 Months
She housed me within the walls of her placenta
And although I have no memories of that dwelling
It’s the comfort I remember
At the age of 17 bearing her 1st seed
She would lay the roadmap to
Her Own Family Tree
Passing onto us her own natural divinity
She made us understand the true meaning of Manifest Destiny
She made us see what comes first through
The Knowledge of Self, Diligence and hard work
And anytime we’d forget she’d put wood to our ass
Because she knew the pain would be temporary
But the impression would last
Always telling us never follow the masses
Because the consequences of such actions
would only bring disasters
And I remember the joy on her face
When she paid for my Fat Boy Gazelle glasses
And as I got older she’d say it’s better to let go of the past
Just open your heart to the future but don’t let it blind you
And beware of selfish lovers because
That kind of love can only bind you
And I recall one time feeling unloved
I slipped & called her bitch & the tears
That filled her eyes when my tongue stung
Like a slave master’s whip
Too young to understand the word’s relevance
And ever since
I have striven to understand the definition of true love
The sacrifice of having a bite
Only after your children eat
Crying yourself to sleep because you can’t afford a bed
So your child sleeps on concrete
Only to wake up the next day to face people who believe
That because you’re black you’re weak
Promising [yourself ] that certain mistakes you’d never repeat
As a man I understand she was my 1st friend
Sometimes I yearn to be a child again
If only to hear the sound of her bangles
As she walked up the street
To see the smile she gave Mrs. Bryant
For keeping me within reach
I haven’t forgotten
It’s not easy for a woman to raise a man
And for your struggles in these modern day fields of cotton
I can say Momma I finally understand
Submitted: September 20, 2015
© Copyright 2023 Ted Gerard. All rights reserved.
Facebook Comments
More Poetry Poems
Discover New Books
Boosted Content from Other Authors
Poem / Poetry
Poem / Non-Fiction
Book / Other
Book / Other
Boosted Content from Premium Members
Short Story / Young Adult
Book / Science Fiction
Book / Humor
Book / Religion and Spirituality
Other Content by Ted Gerard
Short Story / Science Fiction
Short Story / Flash Fiction
Miscellaneous / Other
