As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I am giving my students a platform to speak their minds and share their talent. Langston Hughes gave us Mother to Son, but a young Georgia writer and poet coming into her own has created her own message.
Mother to Daughter
Will you hear me?
When I cry out.
Will you hold me close?
As I held you then.
You were beautiful.
My tiny child.
Wrapped tightly in my arms, close to my heart.
I listened to you breathing.
I counted each of your fingers
and your toes.
Helpless,
you cried out to me.
I loved you with every ounce of my soul.
I remember the day you took your first step.
There was no stopping you.
Your feet gave you freedom.
To explore the world like never before.
Danger lurked
I opened those doors anyway,
cautiously and introduced you to the world.
Where you will be
when my legs give out and
I’m too tired to run
too tired to walk
no longer able to work
Will you still realize that
I love freedom too?
This poem was written by K,Evans, 6th grade scholar at Turner Middle School in Douglas County, Georgia.
Jason has worked in education for over 15 years as a teacher, blogger and community advocate. He speaks and writes primarily about the need to improve education for Black boys, particularly increasing the number of Black male educators in schools. In addition to blogging here at EdLanta, Jason is also a featured writer at Education Post.