Gwendolyn Brooks was a renowned American poet who left an indelible mark on the literary world with her powerful and thought-provoking works. One of her most notable poems is “the mother,” which explores the complex emotions and experiences of motherhood. Through her unique and beautiful writing style, Brooks captures the joys, sorrows, and complexities of being a mother.
In “the mother,” Brooks delves into the intricacies of motherhood, addressing the loss of her children through abortion. It is a deeply personal and introspective poem that navigates the conflicting emotions of guilt, regret, and love. Brooks’ ability to convey such raw and honest emotions through her words is what makes her poetry so impactful and resonant.
The poem “the mother” is a testament to Brooks’ exceptional talent for capturing the essence of human emotions. Her use of vivid imagery and poignant language evokes a sense of empathy and understanding in the reader. Each line is meticulously crafted, leaving a lasting impact and causing the reader to reflect on their own experiences of motherhood and the choices they’ve made.
Unique and Beautiful Gwendolyn Brooks Poems “the mother”
“Abortions will not let you forget.
You remember the children you got that you did not get,
The damp small pulps with a little or with no hair,
The singers and workers that never handled the air.
You will never neglect or beat
Them, or silence or buy with a sweet.
You will never wind up the sucking-thumb
Or scuttle off ghosts that come.
You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh,
Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye.”
– Gwendolyn Brooks, the mother
“I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed children.
I have contracted. I have eased
My dim dears at the breasts they could never suck.
I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized
Your luck
And your lives from your unfinished reach,
If I stole your births and your names,
Your straight baby tears and your games,
Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches,
And your deaths,
If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths,
Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate.
Though why should I whine,
Whine that the crime was other than mine?
– Gwendolyn Brooks, the mother
“But I feel that I ought to be able to carry them now.
The snow is deep on the ground.
They are wearing me thin, they are wearing me out.
I won’t have any strength left, if they keep on.
I won’t have any memory left either, if they keep on.”
– Gwendolyn Brooks, the mother
“Abortions will not let you forget.
You remember the children you got that you did not get,
The damp small pulps with a little or with no hair,
The singers and workers that never handled the air.
You will never neglect or beat
Them, or silence or buy with a sweet.
You will never wind up the sucking-thumb
Or scuttle off ghosts that come.
You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh,
Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye.”
– Gwendolyn Brooks, the mother
“I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed children.
I have contracted. I have eased
My dim dears at the breasts they could never suck.
I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized
Your luck
And your lives from your unfinished reach,
If I stole your births and your names,
Your straight baby tears and your games,
Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches,
And your deaths,
If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths,
Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate.
Though why should I whine,
Whine that the crime was other than mine?
– Gwendolyn Brooks, the mother
“But I feel that I ought to be able to carry them now.
The snow is deep on the ground.
They are wearing me thin, they are wearing me out.
I won’t have any strength left, if they keep on.
I won’t have any memory left either, if they keep on.”
– Gwendolyn Brooks, the mother
These selected excerpts from “the mother” showcase Brooks’ ability to delve into the depths of human emotions and express them in a unique and beautiful way. Through her words, she challenges societal norms and provokes thought on the complexities of motherhood. Gwendolyn Brooks’ poems, especially “the mother,” continue to resonate with readers, leaving a lasting impact on their hearts and minds.
