Gwendolyn Brooks--The Mother

I really enjoyed the poems we had to read this week, not only because they are all written by women but, they address many issues that I feel don’t get explored in poetry like abortion, parents and family, and other literature. I thought all of the poems were very powerful but, I was particularly intrigued by Brooks’ The Mother. I thought it was an effective way to look at abortion (I really felt the horror of the decision) and the consequences of that decision as played out in the poem. It’s clear how the author creates her character (or her own voice) in the beginning of the poem “Abortions will not let you forget. You remember the children you got that you did not get,” (Brooks 1027). I like that she is so blunt with that statement—it jolts the reader into her head and to her feelings. She is not afraid of the feelings that come along with a life altering decision like this as she goes on “I have heard the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed children”(Brooks 1027). I guess that is what struck me most—Brooks, as a writer and as a woman, is not shying away from something as controversial as this issue. I think this issue is also not discussed on the emotional levels that it should be—we are too eager to blame or to pity—I don’t think there is a right answer. I was quite moved by the last two lines “Believe me, I loved you all. Believe me, I knew you well, though faintly, and I loved, I loved you All” (Brooks 1028).

Here is a link to some more information about Gwendolyn Brooks.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poet.html?id=843

Because this poem deals with the deep bonds between a mother and child (in this case children not brought to term), I decided to do a mini-picspam of the mother-child image. Also, it's Mother's Day on Sunday...

















Notice how the behavior is ALL the same? Cross cultures? Species?