Naomi Obiamaka : Ode to a mother’s love (30 Days, 30 Voices)

Mother and child

Bestfriends we can never be, that much I can see,

Because guarded are you and so am I.

Thousands are the words,

Which I long to say to you,

Yet they still remain unsaid,

Hovering in the deeper parts of me,

Desiring to be released and freed,

To describe how I really feel,

For many years have flown by,

And I am still thinking…how?

How will I free myself of this burning desire?

How will I say these words to you?

 

Mother-daughter we are,

Yet more like familiar strangers we seem,

Dwelling under the same roof since the womb years,

Where we got it wrong, I can only wonder.

Fond memories remain distant and few,

But the sting of your words I can still feel,

And the memory of the pain always real.

Many a time I desired a mother’s love,

Cold shoulders were served instead,

An action which birthed a hardened heart.

 

Identical we are on the exterior,

But as night and day we very much are.

While you sought control and submission,

Independence and freedom I desired.

A prison you created for your offspring,

The black sheep wanted to break loose.

Your way or the high way it had to be,

No negotiations allowed,

With a very high cost to pay,

Because the high way I chose to take.

 

I look at you and wonder,

Why these two hearts couldn’t merge,

And dwell in peace and one accord.

Though the years and distance long,

A disconnect there still is,

As a mighty wall so strongly divides us,

One which the bonds of nature cannot seem to break.

I tried to reach out, I tried to mediate,

An exercise in futility all efforts turned out,

Because your heart I never could penetrate.

 

I write to release the words buried so deep,

To free myself of this guilt and regret I feel.

Love and understanding I oft prayed for,

Somehow the opposite I always received.

All the bad and ugly you chose to see,

That unleashed the burning anger in you,

Stemmed from good intentions derailed.

To conform and please you I often tried,

But a constant battle there was within,

That is, to gain your love or lose myself?

 

Bestfriends we can never be, that much I can see,

Because guarded are you and so am I.

But my love for you is deep nonetheless,

As should be for the one that birthed me.

I just plead for you to see,

To see the good that lies within,

To see the child reaching out to her mother,

Calling for understanding and acceptance;

That we may tell a different story,

Of how love, once misplaced, is now found,

Between this girl and the one that birthed her.

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30 Days 30 Voices series is an opportunity for young Nigerians to share their stories and experiences with other young Nigerians, within our borders and beyond, to inspire and motivate them.

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

Comments (3)

  1. Let the rivers of love, understanding, forgiveness, and of oneness encircle you both.

  2. LET IT RAIN LET IT RAIN LET IT RAIN AGAIN AND AGAIN let it feel your heart and soul,let it wash mind even as the day grow old,let it pass through your house with joy untold,let it feel your life with love and strong hold,let it cross your path with blessings written in bold and let it bring you strength to ride on from your head to your toe and you know why? Cause you made my eyes water…and my heart cold. LET IT RAIN LET IT RAIN LET ITT RAIN AGAIN…AND…AGAIN

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cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail