Ma’ma Poem by Keith Eubulus

To your beautiful sucking nipples
Has been the strength of my infancy
Watching daily as my tongue draws
Life from your milk
Denying Papa his portion of his night hunting game.

To your beautiful bruised and tender hands
The comfort of my sleep,
Your black chest my resting mat
But what might have happened to your hands?
I wondered in the innocence of the seen world.

You were the umbrella
Sheltering me from the hatred of the weather
Your tears like the water
That washes away my filth
I denied you sleep only to sleep
Sleepless nights your comfort

My teacher that taught me my first language
Made you a warder
Matching over my toddling, hopping, walking and pacing.

I was once a burden in front
Now a burden at your back
Mama Why?
For months I made you loose the sense of your
Normal walk, waddling as one needing chair for comfort.
You brought me out only to be tied at your back
Like a sack that needed to be tied.

Your love so real could be plucked from thy eye
Your smiles so refreshing and assuring
My tears ached you so badly
My sick body send shivers through your heart.

But Mama, where is Papa
I will whisper in your ears
But they sounded like noise to you
Sometimes I could see your tears
As heavy as the rains
I would bring my feeding cup
But you thought I was hungry
I wanted to show you that
I have learnt love and compassion from you


You struggle to put me through life
How did I pay you back, stubbornness!
But Ma’ma, that is childhood disease
Soon it would be cured of its sadness to you.

Ma’ma, the son of your womb
The joy of your burden
The identity of your broken virginity
Stopped by to wake you from the mat
We slept together and to tell you

You are the making of me
I have something to live for you
I will never disappoint you
Ma’ma, you are my greatest love of all

(A poem dedicated to my dear mother Sarah Aba Entsie Ackah. Mum, you are my greatest love of all.)