Mother

I watched as my boy laced his shoes.
My how he's grown!
I remember the day
I first brought him home.
His little fingers gripping his shirt.
What it was that caused him to fondle so much that shirt,
I will never know!
My little Richard Fernandez.
My Nubian king.
My warrior, my protector.
How special it is raising boys to be men.
I taught him how to cook.
How to groom himself.
How to select and treat a woman.
How to stay in good health.
How to stay away from trouble, To be a good man.
How not to hate others just because they are different,
That we are all Adam's children,
Yellow,red, white, we're all right.
I told him of our rich cultural and intellectual identity.
How we conceived Helio centricity thousands of years ago.
How all the famous scholars came to learn at Timbuktu,
To understand, to be marveled.
He knew, he knew we were the creators of civilization, of nations, of communication.
He understood the source of enemity.
The reason why we are hated.
He knows the reality of our identity.
Oh! My son, all grown up.
He's quite a gentleman, an athlete.
He loves football, basketball, Heck, any ball,
Just a chance to play, to complete, to live!
As he laced his shoes, I see in him,
A world of potential.
I see in him the, the present, the future.
I see in him, forever.
As he steps through the door, he turns his head,
Looking back at me, he smiles,
That smile which I've nurtured for 25 years now,
The smile of a loving, Sweet child.
That smile, which i will never see, ever again!