Mother Mouth
Mine baby! Mine charm!
Mine life! Mine heart!
Mine beloved life! Mine only child!
Gone, gone! Where have you gone!
Mine little bird! Mine only joy!
Oh how many night have I nursed him?
And the weeks have I suffer when he’s sick
Tragedy, horrifying, terrifying
I ponder
My heart weakening soul cries to lord
To God, to neighbor, to villagers, to stranger
Search and search for my lost child
My beloved child where have you gone
“Oi weh! Oi weh!” He’s lost
He’s lost…wavering my arm running around
Like maniac….
Hitting my head with my knuckles
Banging my breast with my fist
Tearing my hair off my head
And that at last I faint to the floor
“Mine only child!” I moaned as I open my eyes
And just then a stranger came along with my child beside
“ma ma!” he cried and rushed to my arm
For one moment of hug
I twirl him around
Slap his cheek
Pinch his cheek
Boxing his ear
And another lasting hug
Then I got up
Complaining, “Oh where have you lost yourself?
You murder my heart with you out of my sight!
Can’t you give me some moment of peace!?!”
My child walked with a frown
As I hold him by the hand tight
And a friend of mine spoken
“What a crazy mouth mother she is! One time she’s worried
The next time she’s complaining! One time she bless him the next time curse him! Oi weh!”