By Stacey Gbeklui
Too many people, too many times
Have broken down the persona of a black woman
To be angry, mad, instigative, and full of drama
Guess they haven’t met my mom
Instigator? No
Full of drama? Not really
Angry? Sometimes
Mad crazy? ...Well it seemed like it
Because she never gave up
Settled down in the land of democracy and freedom
Only to be labeled as low class and incapable of doing much
So, she had to work her way through
My pops was quick to leave…and she, quick to reason and work it out…
Just for me
I was only three
There’s probably a lot I didn’t see
Like the silent nights when she
Cried out and prayed for things to be…better
Picked up another job and sometimes brought me with her
Got pregnant with my baby brother
Again pops left us with her
But you see my mom was a soldier
Picked up the pieces of her heart and moved forward
She could have stayed wounded, but she patched herself up and kept fighting
Went through a ‘Hell’ of storms, but what’s a little thunder and lightning?
Iunno, now you tell me,
How strong someone has to be
To box up her hopes and her dreams…
She dreamed to be a doctor, maybe a good lawyer
Came to Canada, had me, and realized that maybe, dreaming was all over
It seemed,
But she persevered…
Went to school, and carried me, part of this generation on her back
She could have left us to be homeless,
Yet she always said there was never an option like that
Single mothers, single fathers, single parents and they’re black
Looked down upon and criticized because of where they’re at
Said to suck the welfare systems dry as they lay on their lazy backs
While their children cry and wonder why little Susie and Bobby got a mom and dad and maybe even a dog…and why they’re family doesn’t look like that
Life isn’t easy…that’s an obvious fact
But I’m the product of strong women who didn’t let life hold her back
So many people like her in this broken down world today
I’m calling them out for a long overdue recognition of their life time achievement
Here’s to the many that refused to be called slaves
Who got down their knees every night to cry and to pray
I could still hear my mom’s voice as she called out in the night
Life had her cornered, but she wasn’t going down without a fight
Always kept her head up to the sky and kept moving with it
When she set her mind to something, best believe she did it
She’s living proof that we don’t have to stay down when we’ve fallen
Dreams are still achievable no matter what keeps you struggling
I know she has a dream for her kids to grow up and achiever their own
And whether you’re black, white, purple, red, yellow, or brown
This world still indulges in the practice of throwing stones
But it’s time to take the blinders off our eyes and see the real big picture
We hold our own selves back when we blame each other
But Thank God there comes a little wisdom when it rains
We can move on through the struggle with a push called ‘strength’
But here’s the little no-so-secret secret from one woman to another
By the grace of God,
I’m the product of a consistent, persevering, sometimes crazy, strong,
Black mother
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…” – Phil 4:13
Stacey Gbeklui is a university student in Ontario, Canada who is passionate about social justice issues.
Have broken down the persona of a black woman
To be angry, mad, instigative, and full of drama
Guess they haven’t met my mom
Instigator? No
Full of drama? Not really
Angry? Sometimes
Mad crazy? ...Well it seemed like it
Because she never gave up
Settled down in the land of democracy and freedom
Only to be labeled as low class and incapable of doing much
So, she had to work her way through
My pops was quick to leave…and she, quick to reason and work it out…
Just for me
I was only three
There’s probably a lot I didn’t see
Like the silent nights when she
Cried out and prayed for things to be…better
Picked up another job and sometimes brought me with her
Got pregnant with my baby brother
Again pops left us with her
But you see my mom was a soldier
Picked up the pieces of her heart and moved forward
She could have stayed wounded, but she patched herself up and kept fighting
Went through a ‘Hell’ of storms, but what’s a little thunder and lightning?
Iunno, now you tell me,
How strong someone has to be
To box up her hopes and her dreams…
She dreamed to be a doctor, maybe a good lawyer
Came to Canada, had me, and realized that maybe, dreaming was all over
It seemed,
But she persevered…
Went to school, and carried me, part of this generation on her back
She could have left us to be homeless,
Yet she always said there was never an option like that
Single mothers, single fathers, single parents and they’re black
Looked down upon and criticized because of where they’re at
Said to suck the welfare systems dry as they lay on their lazy backs
While their children cry and wonder why little Susie and Bobby got a mom and dad and maybe even a dog…and why they’re family doesn’t look like that
Life isn’t easy…that’s an obvious fact
But I’m the product of strong women who didn’t let life hold her back
So many people like her in this broken down world today
I’m calling them out for a long overdue recognition of their life time achievement
Here’s to the many that refused to be called slaves
Who got down their knees every night to cry and to pray
I could still hear my mom’s voice as she called out in the night
Life had her cornered, but she wasn’t going down without a fight
Always kept her head up to the sky and kept moving with it
When she set her mind to something, best believe she did it
She’s living proof that we don’t have to stay down when we’ve fallen
Dreams are still achievable no matter what keeps you struggling
I know she has a dream for her kids to grow up and achiever their own
And whether you’re black, white, purple, red, yellow, or brown
This world still indulges in the practice of throwing stones
But it’s time to take the blinders off our eyes and see the real big picture
We hold our own selves back when we blame each other
But Thank God there comes a little wisdom when it rains
We can move on through the struggle with a push called ‘strength’
But here’s the little no-so-secret secret from one woman to another
By the grace of God,
I’m the product of a consistent, persevering, sometimes crazy, strong,
Black mother
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…” – Phil 4:13
Stacey Gbeklui is a university student in Ontario, Canada who is passionate about social justice issues.
“For My Mother – Phil 4:13” © 2011 Stacey Gbeklui
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