by Theresa Lovelace
You gave birth to me
On the rich, dark soil that is you
On the proud, noble land
That has always been you.
You are my mother
Yet, you never held me to your breast
Its warmth never known to me
Never have I felt your loving touch
Or have been comforted
By your soft, peaceful whispers.
You never watched me as I grew, my mother
The giver of life
And, though your blood runs through my veins
You do not know me
Nor I you.
Your strength I've inherited
Your grandeur, my legacy
But never have I basked in your splendor
Your glory never known to me
I have yet to revel in that which belongs to me.
And though my anxious yearnings
May find my footsteps on your womb
You'll always be a stranger to me
Africa
My mother
The mother I never knew.
Copyright 1996
