The Mom I Never Had Poem by Nomthi Lusiti

Whenever she cries wanting something, I would jump to her side
Whenever her temperature rises, I would call a specialist to check her
Whenever she goes out to play with her friends, I would check out of the window
If the other children are not bullying or mocking her
Even when I send her to relatives, I would phone every two hours
To check if she needs anything or does not want to come back
This all is because I wanted to be the mother I never had.

I happen to forget that sometimes a child needs space too
She needs to go through these things if it has to be
She needs to take decisions and make choices
She needs be strengthened and weakened by the wrong choices she makes
She needs to know how far to go and come back
She need to realise how high to jump or resist
Only that I wanted to be the mother I never had.

I live to see a better girl to what I was
I live to see a better woman to the one I am
I live to see more intelligent and wiser person than I grew to be
I live to see a much stronger and braver calibre than I thought I would ever be
More than ever I live to see a much kinder and warmer mother than I have been to you
And that is because I always wanted to be the mother I never had.