Mama Bear

My mother used her environment as a springboard from the status quo
Balancing on her support beam, faith
Mom Dukes
Fights with soliloquies
No street talking
Slang was just as bad as cussing
They say
The words her tongue writes and stamps on your eardrums could make the blind see
They say
My mama will kill you with kindness
Just by praying for you then stop mentioning your name to the Creator
She's too humble to admit it
But my mother is so good at being a mom that the whole hood calls her moms
Pull your pants up when she addresses the way that you're dressing
Yelling
We can't feed every mouth
But at the same time asks your friends
Did you eat today
Mama's recipes electric slide on your taste buds with nostalgia
And for those who didn't know my mama's a woman
A helluva woman
And for those who aren't aware
That means she's gotta work twice as hard
And she's black
With a name that is too unique to ever appear on a souvenir keychain
So that means she's working hard times 10
My mother
Wears her hair the same way a mama bear stands up
It growls try me
Her glare
Makes you prefer the aftermath of the
Soothing sound of a rattlesnake's song
Her roar
Makes the strongest men ask for help
But when it comes to us
Her children
Mama's bare hands barely brought bags of bucks to cubs
But it was always enough
Our clothes might not be new but they were never dirty
I mean we
Might be hungry
But we were never starving
Her eye never forgot to bring nurture along with it
As it greeted our hearts
Her mama bear hugs
Call upon forces we do not yet understand but
They make the elements reconsider disaster
Her voice
Is a variety of vital vitamins
That have you feeling invincible after a pep talk

Through your poetry, through your music
Through your mentoring
Just continue
to allow God to use you
Because you have
Some amazing, amazing gifts

And you try your best to impress her
Even for just a second of her smile
Mama, watch this
You summon to her for the 26th time
And she responds with a smile and affirmation 26 times
Mama bear loves yet Mama does hurt
You see Mama dresses struggle in a smile as if it were her own child
I mean she practically raised it her whole life
You see Mama is so good at drying your tears
Because she's become a pro at hiding hers in her fur
Have you ever noticed when she only smiles with half her face
Eyes drenched in pain while her teeth say, it's ok
I guess nobody truly knows the pain that mama bears
Mama bear holds family
Above all and that's why no one messes with her cubs
Regardless of how you came to be
Or your current status with her now
Just know that
She never raised regret
And becoming you was never an option without
She, who gives life
She, who raises chin
She, who molds future
Her
The one who looked death in the eyes and said not mine
Her, Mother Nature's Advocate
Her
The Beauty, the Brains, the Brawn
Her
The Mother

Know that mommy loves you
She'll always be here for you
Just keep doing what you're doing
I love you son