So Mother’s Day has passed, and apart from a variety of gifts, I have also written a poem for my mother. It has taken inspiration from the Fijian Poem my mother wrote called ‘Ko tinaqu’ (my mother), which was a written tribute to her mother.
I took a few stanzas from her original poem, translated it into English , and turned it into my own. Here is my poem:
The worthy sacrifices of a mother
My mother is a woman of excellence,
And great is the love she pours out to me,
Gentle are her hands that soothe me to sleep,
and pure is her heart as she looks out for me.
Her wisdom guiding my careless youth,
my immaturity met with teachings and lessons.
Her mind already thinking of my near future,
Watering the seeds of my could be potential,
pulling out weeds that hinder my growth,
Nurturing me for greatness so I may go further,
her guiding light, showing me the way forward.
A mother’s dream is her child’s success.
Her hardships are long; with tasks untold,
Rising before the sun wakes
and toiling far past the beginning of dark.
Every ounce of effort and sweat, all for her child’s comfort.
I wish I could repay her,
but no amount of gratitude is enough to fully do so.
Despite everything; some do not care.
They act up in public and disregard her sacrifices,
Forgetting the love and faith she placed in them.
They wound her at the heart,
An unbearable shame no mother should go through.
They choose a path that is cruel and unjust.
So I urge you to remember;
That mothers’ are your foundation to life,
Their legacy created to pave a path for you.
So this is a poetic tribute,
To the woman who means the world to me,
My mother, My friend, my guiding star.
-Marissa Wong.
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