A Tribute To My Mother
By Austin Yearwood 

I Remember You, Mama

I remember you Mama
Working night and day
In the white man’s kitchen
So you could get your pay
And at night I’d meet you
So I could take your bag
It’s filled with food from the white man’s home
And the weight would make you sag
 
I remember you Mama
Washing clothes in our back yard
Pure elbow grease for hours
Yeah, you really washed them hard
How darn proud you’d be
As you put them on your children
My sisters, my brother, and me.
 
I remember you Mama
As I would often disobey
So many of the wise things
You always had to say
Cruel things I’d tell you
Later made me want to die
As you sat with the pain and the hurt in your soul
And it would make me cry
 
I remember you Mama
God knows I love you so
And I’d really like to show you
But how, I just don’t know
My heart is your dear Mama
Please try to understand
I’m a mixed-up child in a cruel world
Trying to make myself a man
 
God’s grace to you dear Mama
Guess I finally understand
When you say I’ll always be your child
Though I’ve grown to be a man
My love to you dear Mama
Forgive me if you will
And between you and your children all
Dear Ma, Let peace be still