She-Once-Was My Mother Poem by mariechantal tuyisabe

I've never forgotten
My mother's braveness
She, who stood unbroken like a rainbow
Of a multitude beautiful colours...
She- once- was my mother

And all her courage-
Uncomparable with
Any living thing...
She-once- was my mother

Those moments of terror,
Those places where no
Crickets, snakes, and birds'sounds
Could be heard,
She navigated through
Without a cheerful shadow
Ah! She- once- was my mother

And despite the rumbling bombs
And rockets'songs,
She wouldn't fling her full-topped cases
On the sorghum-filled walking way
As my father had done
When he left her behind
Can't you see!
She- once- was my mother

And the continuous calls
Of the word 'maman',
Of my baby brother- behind her back,
Couldn't supress her
She was still not easilly broken like an egg
Hard like canadian rocky mountains...
She- once- was my mother

Even as the calls kept on,
A suitable place, she would fetch
To make him suck her breasts
And continue her way-afterwards
How tenacious!
She- once-was my mother

And later, when I and siblings saw her,
Down, the joy knocked my heart
And said, 'yes girl-she once had been your mother'