A Mother Would Poem by Hannatu Pqrs

Nine months of joyful pain
I went through, with you in my womb
Through it all
Every time you kicked
I consoled my widowed self
That you'd be worth it all
Who'd love you more?

Bringing you forth into the world
Was hard for me, as a single parent,
What followed
Was harder still
I cut off sleep
Two, three times each night to feed you
Who'd love you more?

And even though I had to earn a living
I had to make out time
To wash your dirty, stained clothes
I couldn't afford a nanny you know
And even if I could, I would not let another
Do my motherly chores
Who'd love you more?

And as you grew up
And brought trouble upon the neighbourhood
I had to lie, asserting your innocence
And at all costs, protect you,
Even though it wouldn't have taken a saint
To proclaim your guilt
Who'd love you more?

Although educating you was not easy
What with the situation in the country,
I took out loan after loan
To settle your college tuition
So you could be educated and cultured
Like the rich friends you hobnobbed with
Who'd love you more?

And upon graduation
When joblessness seemed certain for you
I struggled to get you some capital
So you could start a little thing of your own
And perchance,
Establish yourself in life
Who'd love you more?

And upon settling down
Whenever your wife complained of your behaviour,
Which was often,
I took your side
And argued on your behalf
Even though I was sure you were at fault
Who'd love you more?

And although you seemed to have forgotten
That you had a mother somewhere,
After settling down,
And never came to see me often —
Except once in a year —
I still wrote you often and tried to see you
Who'd love you more?

And when your business was at a low,
And funds began to dwindle for you,
And the loan sharks began calling in their loans
It was to me you ran
And my tiny shanty accommodated your family
While I slept in the hammock at night
Who'd love you more?

Again, with my help
You were able to bounce right back
And soon reverted to your old self:
Giving your wife a lot of trouble
And forgetting your aging mother
But still I worried over you
Who'd love you more?

And as I lie here,
Bedridden, fading away,
Having sent message after message
Awaiting your reply,
I still worry, still hope that all is well
With you and your family
Who'd love you more?