Mama was born a fighter, 

into a life of adversity, 

a fate beyond her control.

She was a nurturer from the start, 

and it was evident in the way 

she reared her seven younger siblings, 

without a single word of protest.

To say this warrior queen 

came from humble beginnings 

wouldn't do her abysmal upbringing any justice. 

My mother came from 

next to nothing,

in order to ensure that

we would not have to suffer.

A clay hut, in an indiscriminate village; 

all they had were four mud walls.

Her ambition was inherent, 

as every move she made was with intention. 

She endured the worst, and lived to tell—

a true femme fatale in the making.