For My Mother

By Okereke Emmanuel Chibuike

A woman with fire—
not just in her eyes,
but in her bones,
in every breath she burns for the ones she loves.

My mother.
My mother, my pride.
My lighthouse when the tides got high.
She stayed for me—
when the world turned cold,
when it whispered lies and slammed its doors,
she stood,
unshaken.

No applause, no trophies,
just cracked hands and tired eyes,
but she never dropped me.
Never let go.
Even when her soul begged for rest.

And I—
I love my mother.
Not just because she gave me life,
but because she taught me how to live it.
With fight.
With grace.
With fire.

OKEREKE EMMANUEL CHIBUIKE is a passionate poet and an emerging voice in contemporary literature. His work explores themes of love, resilience, identity, and family with emotional depth and clarity. When not writing, he finds inspiration in everyday moments and meaningful connections. This piece is submitted under the pen name KBR.