To be borne, to be held
by that which wishes you to live
more than it wants
life for itself;
to be fed, to be sung to
to be named into song;
to be breathed-for
to be caught
before falling, to be loved –
to be loved that much;
& held in no debt;
to be served
no receipt, no billable hours
all the days, all the years that have
passed in a blink
all the coats & shoes
worn & outgrown,
colourful, uncountable.
Oh, mother is
a stiller of storms
a scatterer of clouds!
Oh, mother is
a roof that lifts
for no wind!
Victoria Adukwei Bulley is a poet, writer and artist based in London. Her debut poetry collection, Quiet, is forthcoming from Faber & Faber in June 2022 and available to pre-order now.