Forgive Me Mother
By Fiza Pathan

I yelled at my mother today
and she began to cry.
Her tears pierced my hearts core
and split it into two
etching out my worst heartbreak.
My mother means the world to me
while I still swallow myself up in a weeping fit.
I screamed at my mother today
and so today the poet is remorseful.
I asked her forgiveness
and she gave it readily to me
─I offered her a barb of wire dipped in poison
and after making my goddess like mother drink it
… I the merciless poet asked her forgiveness.
How many mothers have we yelled at
and have not had a chance to ask for forgiveness?
How many mothers drink the cup of painful verses
uttered to them everyday by not an outsider,
but by their own flesh and blood?
I love my mother to tears
for while the world rejected me,
she did not abandon me.
Yet I am the one who shrieked
at my holy mother today
and this split in my heart
aches in pain and anguish.
When I was born, nobody wanted me
because I was a girl and apparently
of little use to the world.
It was my mother who did not reject me
at that point of time, when she could easily have
─for I at that time was just a plaything in her hands.
But she did not abandon me,
she raised me up to the heights and made me
the poet I am today ─ and yet today
I shouted at my mother!
Forgive this poet God of all natures gifts
and I beg your pardon for acting rashly
on one of your most greatest creations.
As the suckling fawn adores the breast
that gives it nourishment
so do I love my mother’s chest
upon which I often rest my weary head upon
─ and yet I bellowed at my mother today,
and I am ashamed of my conduct.
Mother of mine so tender to me,
who kisses my wounds and my aching eyes to rest,
I shall bury all thoughts that will do you harm
and be your shield when the destroyer comes.
Remember me mother when I am perplexed
with disaster written all over my face,
For God’s greatest creation is a Mother
His most greatest sketch
upon the living canvas of the Earth.
Copyright © 2014 by Fiza Pathan
Image courtesy: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/202429
Just read your interview at PebbleInStillwaters…The ‘Dracula’ experience is so very similar with me !! I was really taken aback …
Best of luck for your upcoming books…. 🙂
Your poem is so true. I don’t even remember the number of times I have shouted at mom because she never sulks or gets angry. She loves me even though I push her away. Your poem will always remind me to be good to her. 🙂
[ Smiles ] This is a very lovely poem.