In a Mother's Voice (Amber Smithers and Joan McNerney)

Today I'd like to focus on poems in a mother's voice.  These are for the Michael Brown contest.  The first poem is by my former student, Amber Smithers, a young woman who may become a filmmaker.  (She has so many interests, and I'm glad that she decided to participate in this contest!)

A Lullaby to My Son

Hush little baby,

Don't you cry.

Mommy's not gonna let you die.

Don't let those demons

Take your light. 

I'm sorry I wasn't there that night.

But now mommy's gonna win this fight.

Mommy's gonna love you through the night.

Hush little baby,

Don't you cry.

Mommy's gonna make sure you survive. 

-- Amber Smithers

I am not sure that Joan McNerney's poem is also a mother's voice, but it speaks to the pain that a mother faces when she loses a son to violence.  As women who are not mothers, neither Joan nor I can imagine what it is like to lose a child in this way.

For the Mothers

Don’t

Don’t think

              think about it

              that he is dead

                    you won’t see him again

                    you are alone but

                    you still look for him

                    the call came

                    his young body gone

                    all the love in the world won’t bring him home

                    you still look for him

                    you are alone but

                    you won’t see him again

              that he is dead

              think about it

Don’t think

Don’t

-- Joan McNerney

Below is a picture of Emmett Till with his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, who outlived her only child by forty-eight years.

I'll finish with some more music for you.

Here is a link to a performance of Dan Furman's "For Emmett Till":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOXqx0CGYss

I also wanted to add Bob Dylan's "The Death of Emmett Till" although I'm not sure how long the video will be up.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVKTx9YlKls

Here Nina Simone sings "Revolution" and "Strange Fruit," adding her commentary on the role of the artist in society.  Note that this video includes graphic images of victims of lynching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QRjz6TYmYk

Gregory Porter's "Mother's Song" is more hopeful and soothing but I wanted to end on a different note:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvsFVg_Cc2o