My Mother, by Beth Bayliss
my mother is not on a warpath
and armies could withstand her gaze
she lives and she loves cause she has to
but don’t you dare tell me she’s brave
for this isn’t a fight to be chosen
nor a war in which she could enlist
what else can she do but keep living?
my mum is not brave, she is pissed
stop telling us she will keep fighting
stop saying that it will improve
don’t say she’ll get better
till you’ve seen the letters
that gave us the terrible news
so don’t call my mother a warrior
you can lose all the bellicose bull
at stage four you are not in a battle
you are living your life to the full
and that’s how we lift up my mother
and the brilliant woman she is
we don’t talk about fighting or losing
we look at the love that she gives
my mother is not on a warpath
there’s no other road she can take
when your options are go on or give up,
tell me, what choice would you make?
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