Mother Heroes

 Mother Heroes

Mother Bear eats her fill and builds her strength,

then finds a safe cave for the winter.

In the dark and cold, she bears her cubs,

born blind, hairless and tiny, but mother is there

to feed them with her rich milk for months. 

She continues there without eating until Spring sets them free.

The wolf pack is led by a mother wolf.

She carefully chooses the den for the pack,

then bears her cubs in its safety, staying close

while others in her tribe bring her food.

Then, when the little ones are ready, she leads

daily survival classes for them, preparing them for freedom.

If you see a bird flying by with a stick in her mouth,

she is preparing to be a mother with a nest

high in a tree, safe from interlopers.

And then it’s her time to lay a clutch of eggs,

which she incubates until they hatch, and if she’s lucky

her mate helps bring food for the little ones until they can fly.

The mother elephant grows her child in her body

for 22 months. And then keeps the newborn fed and safe

as the herd wanders the plains. Once this mother gets old and wise,

she becomes a matriarch, leading the herd to water, food and safety.

She is their respected elder, and when she dies

the whole herd, deeply feeling their loss, mourns for her.

In the center of the forest stands the Mother Tree,

tallest and oldest, a central hub,

contributing to the wellbeing of all her neighbors,

recognizing her kin and sharing water and nutrients,

sending warning to all through her root networks

and standing tall in the face of danger.