But for my mother
I would have been a tailor
That was the final decision
The man of the house has spoken
But my mother defied the order
An order she needed not only emotional strength
But huge financial commitment to sustain
I look on helplessly with the thug of war
Between husband and wife
A faint-hearted man awashed in pessimism
Versus a lioness-hearted woman of unseen hopes
It was a melodrama of a family at loggerheads
A sweet sorrow tale of once upon a crossroad
A near battle of supremacy of who dictates the tune
For an innocent son of prideful determination to excel
A family which status quo was redefined by a mishap
Time flies
Soaring my dreams beyond visibility
My hope dwindles
My opportunity keeps drifting further apart
My brain produces zilch then
I thought pessimism had overcome my omega hope
Yet I appease myself with adage of have-nots
“Where there is life there is hope”
One day
The sun felt reluctant to smile
A perfect weather to sleep off my unending worries
There comes a gentle knock on my door
With a strong voice of
Mama is calling
Before the messenger had return to the sender
The called was already there
I stepped into the woman’s room
And the ambience was different
It was as hollow as hole
The glitters were conspicuously missing
I need not to be told
A glaring symbolism of a strong woman
Desire to educate her only first son
She chose my future over her valuables
I was suddenly manhandle by emotions
Emotions drifting ubiquitously and violently in me
I try to avoid her eyes
As I bear my head down in a stormy rain of tears
Sobbing gratefully
My heart truly full of thankfulness
She had no reason to cry
Even though the clouds were imminent on
Her red eyes
“Naawuni deema a suhugu” was all I could murmur
My dream of going to school was reborn
Vim “yaa zo”
But with heavy uneasy heart
I breathe in happiness with pain
Breathe out sadness with joy
I prostrate in veneration
To God for giving me such a solid rock
To lean on
God bless Mma Nafisah for
My mother is I
I am my mother
By Hanan-Confidence Abdul