My Mama

For years now I have been thinking about how the typical African man, being highly conservative in matters of affection, expresses love for his mother; not because of any interest in the behavioral patterns of the typical African man, but because with each passing year, my mother continues to be a great inspiration in my life with consistency beyond description. So I tried, but with very pale comparison, to use words to describe her…

Struggling to express my love for her, coz I’m trapped in the traditions of an African,

To say I love her and hug her, would be considered as too much of a Western,

So I’ll hide behind a pen and paper, to give due credit to this superwoman,

They may say a woman’s weaker, but she broke her back to raise this strong man,

She was patient enough to watch me grow, and fit into the name Nathan,

I confess there was some spanking, but it was part of her perfect rearing plan,

Not perfect in English, but she speaks love better than anybody under the sun,

Coz she still prays for me to own a car, even though I wrecked her only one,

I walk tall and proud, but humbled to know I came from this woman,

Coz we’re so many at home, but she makes us all feel like the firstborn son,

Dad a lifetime banker, with keys to the safe full of priceless bullion,

But never counted enough money, to match mama’s worth in his lifespan,

So I can’t wait for the day I’ll introduce her, to my first daughter or son,

Coz in her I saw Christ, before I ever saw Him in any confessing Christian.