Mama - Vida Ayitah

My Mama said to me
Go out and find a man
And bring me grandkids

I went to the marketplace
They sell everything
But no man was for sale

I took the bus
To the next town; where I heard men were in abundance
But alas! Each one was already taken

So I came home to Mama
And said: I didn’t find any man
She said I didn’t look hard enough

So I went out one night
To the nightclub; where lights go amber and glitzy
My eyes danced and danced!

So many men!
I wonder why I never came here
Why nobody told me…

So I brought the gentleman home
And gave Mama two grandkids
Which indeed made her happy

Mama said to bring her grandkids
She didn’t ask that I find true love... a nice man
Who wouldn’t leave after a few years

So many cold nights I’ve known now
So many empty mornings... spent alone in gloom
Who wants to love a dry, withered old woman
Who has two ugly bastards?

Poor Mama, who needed grandkids
And thought
Thought I met the father in a church!

4 comments:

Rob Taylor said...

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Marta said...

I really enjoyed reading this week's poem! Keep up the good work ;)

Anonymous said...

well this is a well balanced poem--wrestling with the problem of all modern African women what to retain of the past when wanting to embrace the future.It questions the key issue should the values of the family ,as they do sometimes,come in the way of enlightenment and progress---a ? VERY important to--discuss indeed the Heart of the Matter.Well done VIDA.

Dirk said...

Is a honest poem and make thoughtful.
Thank you Vida