A Poem for Mother

You are an ocean.

Full of depth, histories
we have not known.

Apple in your father’s eye,
you have run through fields of cotton,
purple peas, catching
fireflies in your hands.

The Ancestors directing you to kick
colored only signs like cans beneath your
dainty lace socks and patten leather shoes.

They knew,
Bright Eyed Girl, you
would dare to run North.

We have felt your everydayness.
Your beauty and elegance, a giant daisy
in an open field. You have braved love–
its charm and its bite
and said, “It is well with me.”

You have built homes,
adorned bare wood floors with your
imagination; torn them down,
built them again.

Guided your children’s hands to touch
pretty things; lace,
feathers, velvet, and china demonstrating
life is fine, and home is whatever is in you needing to
come out.
Great Chef.
Curator of Beautiful Things.
Lover of hummingbirds -buzz-whistle-chipping around
your table. We have delighted in your soul.
... Read moreYour tiny little incantations from the Ancestors.
Sorcerist of Love,
your kitchen table an alter
curated with seven courses
calling us home.
My God, we are the descendants of the enslaved,
you have been the turnkey to our freedoms. On these wood floors,
by candlelight, you have taught us to turn
our backs to any weapon formed against us. “Let us eat, and laugh, and be merry. Amen!”

Mincer of Tears and Laughter.
You have brought about sacred energy and passed it through life’s waters.

Shaper of High Tides, you have poured joy
over us,
sung our names
written to us
prayed for us
visited with us
traveled with us
pushed us
grappled with us
cried with us
shared deep belly laughter with us
taught us
covered us
stood quiet with us

endured us
forgiven us
believed in us
saved us
rehabilitated us
championed us
set stages for us to sing
to tread waters
to soar above ceilings
to see beauty in detail and
to demand life be a fresh ingredient.

Your kindness.
Your grace.
Your care.
Your smarts.
Your artistry and your
making ways out of noways
have become our ways.

Your womanliness, a mentor text.
Your womanliness believes every attic holds treasures.
Every dream is just a recipe that needs time and attention to come forth.
You have manifested.
Mother,
you have carried so much with just two hands.
Pretty hands, a river running to a lake to an ocean is
too much to hold.

We breathe.
We take you in knowing we may never understand the fullness
of what you have done – but,

We delight in you.
We delight in what the Lord has done through you.
We thank the Lord for giving us, you.

We circle here, giving you back to the Infinite.
We cherish you into infinity.
We delight in your waters, ever flowing.


She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. – Proverbs 31:25
– Kimberly Ransom (Granddaughter)


“Chant” by Sweet Honey in the Rock https://youtu.be/a1R-5C0RDLY Read less

A Poem for Mother

You are an ocean.

Full of depth, histories
we have not known.

Apple in your father’s eye,
you have run through fields of cotton,
purple peas, catching
fireflies in your hands.

The Ancestors directing you to kick
colored only signs like cans beneath your
dainty lace socks and patten leather shoes.

They knew,
Bright Eyed Girl, you
would dare to run North.

We have felt your everydayness.
Your beauty and elegance, a giant daisy
in an open field. You have... Read more braved love–
its charm and its bite
and said, “It is well with me.”

You have built homes,
adorned bare wood floors with your
imagination; torn them down,
built them again.

Guided your children’s hands to touch
pretty things; lace,
feathers, velvet, and china demonstrating
life is fine, and home is whatever is in you needing to
come out.
Great Chef.
Curator of Beautiful Things.
Lover of hummingbirds -buzz-whistle-chipping around
your table. We have delighted in your soul.
Your tiny little incantations from the Ancestors.
Sorcerist of Love,
your kitchen table an alter
curated with seven courses
calling us home.
My God, we are the descendants of the enslaved,
you have been the turnkey to our freedoms. On these wood floors,
by candlelight, you have taught us to turn
our backs to any weapon formed against us. “Let us eat, and laugh, and be merry. Amen!”

Mincer of Tears and Laughter.
You have brought about sacred energy and passed it through life’s waters.

Shaper of High Tides, you have poured joy
over us,
sung our names
written to us
prayed for us
visited with us
traveled with us
pushed us
grappled with us
cried with us
shared deep belly laughter with us
taught us
covered us
stood quiet with us

endured us
forgiven us
believed in us
saved us
rehabilitated us
championed us
set stages for us to sing
to tread waters
to soar above ceilings
to see beauty in detail and
to demand life be a fresh ingredient.

Your kindness.
Your grace.
Your care.
Your smarts.
Your artistry and your
making ways out of noways
have become our ways.

Your womanliness, a mentor text.
Your womanliness believes every attic holds treasures.
Every dream is just a recipe that needs time and attention to come forth.
You have manifested.
Mother,
you have carried so much with just two hands.
Pretty hands, a river running to a lake to an ocean is
too much to hold.

We breathe.
We take you in knowing we may never understand the fullness
of what you have done – but,

We delight in you.
We delight in what the Lord has done through you.
We thank the Lord for giving us, you.

We circle here, giving you back to the Infinite.
We cherish you into infinity.
We delight in your waters, ever flowing.


She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. – Proverbs 31:25
– Kimberly Ransom (Granddaughter)


“Chant” by Sweet Honey in the Rock https://youtu.be/a1R-5C0RDLY Read less