Mama - What she said

I'm growing old and you're growing strong,

for a statement, that's bold but you know I'm not wrong..
& to be clear, dear son, this is not one,
of those 'lecture' sessions, the ones I answer your questions with questions.
These are my thoughts, & I hope when I'm done you'll link up the dots. . . .
As a mum, I'm proud. Very, very, very proud.
So proud in my cloud that, if I was allowed to stand in a crowd I'd,
to the peak of my voice., shout out and, let the whole world know aloud that,
I'm proud that, I am proud. Yes. Proud to have you and your siblings.
Children I'd never trade for no amount of shillings.
No dollars on this earth could replace the worth of your birth(s).
I insist, if I was to re-do motherhood, I'd get the four of you still,
perfectly imperfect, and do things a little bit different.
Make things better. Make the future brighter.,
but trust me, this is the best. We are blessed, son..
it could have been worse.
You now know well, your father has been gone, not by his choice,

and not with his voice, of course, that's why I speak in his place..

trying to make you embrace advice he would have given,

for you seem, like him, ambitious and quite self-driven,

that the wrongs you've done in the past are forgiven.
Oh how I know it breaks his heart, (RIP), that he left me fighting alone,

breaking my bones, collecting stones,

thrown my way, to build a place,

even if not sufficient, then maybe just for a day,

get us a place to stay, a place to place our beds,

and to lay our heads.. He left.

He left a hole,

a hole in our pockets, a hole in my heart,

a hole in my soul, in our lives and it hurt,

a whole lot of reasons to give up but we did not.

a whole lot of hope.

& I'll admit, to the least, it wasn't as comfortable,

just affordable, it wasn't as you wished,

the food you dished, not as pleasant as the fish,

the neighbours cooked, not even as sweet as the adverts looked,

(funny) but we were content enough..

paying off loans, when all we owned,

in a distant place away from home,

was love.

and faith.
and patience.
Love, faith and patience., love, faith and patience,
love, faith and patience., love, faith and patience, Nothing!
We struggled our part and fought our battles,
we paid allegiance to the High Deity, where it was due,
and as dew on the morning grass,
He always showed up, ever faithful.
I'll cut it short son and say this again,
it could have been worse.
& now the world's ahead for you,
and your brother and sisters,
I smile when I think of the times I felt like quitting,
no kidding. Winners never quit and quitters never win, I guess
that makes me a winner and it's all I ever want for all of you,
to win. To stand tall in oppression, to rise high in depression.
I'll live long to see you succeed, love long enough to love more,
and when that day comes, let it be least of my concerns,
to hear you say these words; "That's what she said"