FORGIVING MOMMA.

Do you hear me, Momma? Where are you now?

Did you end up with angels, or in the hottest hell?

Do you ever feel badly about the things you did?

Did you ever want your children? Please do tell.

Showing sweet feelings were things you always hid.            

Was it because  nobody could ever  teach you how?

Do  you remember, Momma,  being drunk in bed all day,

Leaving your five children to find a way to school,

Letting them go hungry as they tried in vain to learn,

And wearing dirty clothing, trying hard to be cool,

While trying to hide the bruises and cigarette burns?

Did you ever want your children to live a different way?

Did you know the next door neighbor, who had children too,

Took the time to feed us tacos when she fed her son, Jose,

And at the super market, we were given  several snacks,

While the teachers at school wanted us to be OK,

So they gave us hot lunches, before going out to play.

Did you tell them “Thank You,” for making up for you?

I’m working on forgiving the abuse, and the shame,

All the things I didn’t get when you were always  gone,

And no one could find you or contact you,  mother

When you left your children starving in the early dawn.

We wanted you to be, someone different, another,

Who would be there for us when we called out your name.

Yu/stan/kema.

“Forgiveness is a process that occurs over time. It is sometimes difficult and it  can be soul-wrenching when the wounds are deep. It is unique to the person.

Along the way, many degrees of forgiveness can be achieved. It is up to the one that has been hurt whether forgiveness is possible; whether peace can be found; whether the hurt can be let go, or the control of the event over the rest of one’s life can occur; or is it possible to reach an understanding of the one who has hurt another and wish the transgressor good will as a result of the soul’s struggle in the end? I am sure that God will see the struggle of the one who had been hurt, and accept which ever degree of forgiveness can be achieved if he has done the best he could under the circumstances.”                                                                       Yu/stan/kema