The Dawn Chorus…

Dearest mother,

I am far from home with dreams to hunt
But through the oceans raging between us,
And against the stubborn wind,
You are still near, holding my hand.

I remember days of ignorance — not quite a bliss —
Where your love looked like a simple kiss
But it holds far too many details to perceive,
Way too easy for a child to miss,
Only now can I see…

Without hesitation, you gave your own wings, so I could fly
And out of them, you built a home where I could thrive,
And though I fought so hard to leave it all,
I never wished to leave you at all,
For you are the roots that keep my soul
Fed and healthy through the storm
And through the endless droughts.

For years, I watched and never understood
But with the distance now, I look back and see:
How you taught me patience and mercy
And showed me how to find the strength
To reflect the warmest light
Even with tired arms and a broken mirror.

You never let a broken heart slow you down:
You swallowed your tears and kept your smile —
Even under our teenage wrath
And all the venom spat —
You held up the world with one single hand
While you fed us all with the other,
Standing tall with all the knives in your back,
Standing tall through it all.

No words can ever suffice to describe your grandeur,
Your beauty or the light of your wild fire,
Not even with the three languages that you taught me
Or with the fearless tongue that you gave me;
Still, I will keep trying my best to remind you
Every day but especially on days like today
How much I love you
And how thankful I am to have a mother like you.

Bonne fête maman, je t’aime ♥