September 15: Langston Hughes, "Mother to Son," My Mom

Mother to Son

by:  Langston Hughes

Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor—

Bare.

But all the time

I’se been a-climbin’ on,

And reachin’ landin’s,

And turnin’ corners,

And sometimes goin’ in the dark

Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.

Don’t you set down on the steps

’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

Don’t you fall now—

For I’se still goin’, honey,

I’se still climbin’,

And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

__________________________

Been thinking a lot about my mother these past few weeks.  How much she has been through these last few years.  Since 2014, she has lost a son, daughter, and husband.  She suffers from dementia, so grief and grieving is complicated for her.  Some days, these deaths are fresh and new, like dandelions springing up overnight on a lawn.

My mom has always been a resilient person.  The kind of person who gets knocked down, gets back up, and keeps moving.  I think I got that quality from her.

Saint Marty has always been a mama's boy.