Praise Song for my Mother
- Created by: insertwittyname
- Created on: 08-01-19 11:36
Stanza One
You were
water to me
deep and bold and fathoming
In the first stanza Nichols compares her mother to water, which is a powerful image because water is something vital and necessary for life. She sees her mother as this essential being. 'Deep' suggests they had a strong bond and her mother understood her complex issues. 'Bold' suggests she was strong and brave. A fathom is a measure of depth, which links back to the first word in the line.
Stanza Two
You were
moon's eye to me
pull and grained and mantling
In the second stanza Nichols compares her mother to the moon. This suggests she was a watchful presence over her daughter, always there even if she was not always visible. The moon provides light in the darkness, which is what Nichols' mother did for her. The moon also has gravitational pull, and Nichold uses 'pull' to suggest her mother also exerted a force on her that drew her closer. 'Grained' could refer to germination- that Nichols grew and blossomed from a seed planted by her mother. A mantle is a type of cloak, so 'mantling' suggests her mother was a comforting, protective, warming presence.
Stanza Three
You were
sunrise to me
rise and warm and streaming
'Sunrise' is a typical image meaning light, warmth and new beginnings, as the rising of the sun signals the start of a new day.…
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