Home is a very touching subject for me. May also is for mothers.
I wanted to take this month to acknowledge all mothers and wish them a happy Mother’s Day.
March 14 marked six years since I lost my mother. Days later, on March 20, I also lost someone very special to me who I’ve considered a mother figure and someone who’s left an everlasting impact on my life — Ms. Arnetta Mayfield.
Her son, who I’d known and had been friends with since elementary school, called me to share the bad news. His mother had passed away in the same fashion my mother did.
During my early years of high school, I had the opportunity to meet Netta, and she became an important figure in my development during that time.
High school was a troubling period for me. I was experiencing a lot of things at the time that I was struggling with internally. Netta welcomed me into her home and treated me like one of her own.
Many times, when my house didn’t feel welcoming or safe, Netta let me stay nights at her home.
She always invited me in for a home cooked meal and gave me support and guidance.
I hadn’t seen Netta as much during my college years, when I was away from Chicago. Since I had been back home, I reached out to her son to make plans to visit. Unfortunately, she passed before I was able to go see her. I went to her funeral and paid my respects. This was a loss I was not expecting, nor was I expecting her impact on me to be so deeply rooted. She was loved and she will be missed.
This poem is for her and for all mothers. A mother’s love is unmatched, whether by blood or by bond.
To Mothers
A mother’s love is never lost. Neither her sons nor daughters would go without.
A mother’s love runs deep as the Nile. So there may never be a drought.
A mother’s love may never sway. It just goes untalked about.
As her reach can go beyond blood. Touching the hearts of those she nurtured.
Surrogates for lost souls. Never a soul to be deterred.
Welcoming and healing. A mother’s love will be preserved.
Calls upon you to feast at her feet and wash your sins away.
Share in such a marvel, a woman’s strength put on display.
Giver of life, we follow and obey.
Never forgotten, never absent. Always a light beam shining home
Accepting and forgiving. No matter how far we may roam.
And the words of wisdom shared, never leaves us when they’re gone.
The pain they leave in our hearts without them here, runs deep.
It’s never okay to quit but take your time to weep.
A mother’s love is everlasting, it is in your heart to keep.
Rasharra Smith is a graduate student at the University of Dubuque.
