I wrote this poem while I carrying my son back in 2021. The forcefulness of it still sits with me, a little more now as I lean into the nature of its true meaning in the practical act of mothering. As I re-read these lines, especially reflecting on my journey with postpartum depression and anxiety, I find evident how much truth I spoke into the atmosphere through my words, and how these words sustained me without my mere knowing. What a beautiful thing, I think, to be reminded that the source of my strength always comes from within, setting the path before me, preparing my heart and soul for battlefields before I even cross them. How divine, how holy.
An offering from mother to son — the ninth month:
I must show you this land. I must show you the fabric of my body,
woven together by our God who divided the earth and seas.
I must speak to you in my native tongue, tell you of all the languages
I have ever tried to learn while holding daffodils on my breath
and weeping under a crescent moon.
I must take you to all of the places that I have gone in mourning,
show you how I have sewn my wounds and stuffed my scars with daisies.
I must show you all the flowers that I have grown with these gardening hands,
all the life that I’ve commanded in barren places.
I must show you my bones, show you this spine that holds me together,
the same one that has carried evening and has seen dawn anoint the horizon.
I must show you where I go to meet God, show you the grounds that have held my knees, for they know the sound of my prayers.
I must show you your mother,
all her glory and all her storms.
[Purchase the book of poetry here — Beckoning of the Wind: An Ode to Motherhood]
From one mother to another,
Mariah Maddox
Hola , Muy Bello. Éstas Bellas Palabras Me Emociononaron: Debo Llevarte A Todos Los Lugares A Los Que He Ido De Luto. Un Saludo.
So very beautiful 🥹🫶🏾 And it reminds me of all the letters and musings I wrote my daughter while she was baking as well.