Jovet Philippa Turyatunga
She told me to work
not just hard, but smart,
to reach for the very best I could.
She told me to seize
every opportunity that found me,
to build a self so strong
that no storm could undo me.
She told me she didn’t want me to live
as she had lived.
Waiting on the mercy of others,
empty hands stretched out.
It wasn’t that she never worked.
Her life was work
but sacrifice swallowed her whole.
The kind of sacrifice,
only a mother knows:
when everything becomes about them
and never about her.
Every coin she touched
was for her little ones.
Every dream she carried,
was laid at our feet.
And she told me;
Daughter, go farther.
Climb higher.
Don’t become like me.
A woman who gave everything
until nothing was left
and now carries her hunger
in silence.
A beggar of her own life.
She told me: Don’t become like me.
This poem is a special shout out for all parents and guardians who sacrifice for those they are responsible for and urge them to rise above and beyond. I love you all.
This post was created with our nice and easy submission form. Create your post!
Written by
Did this story move you? Every gift goes directly to Jovet Philippa Turyatunga — writers on Muwado earn from reader appreciation, not algorithms. Even $1 makes a difference.
Muwado weekly chart
Get Africa’s top 10 stories every Thursday
No account needed — just your email.
Want to follow Jovet Philippa Turyatunga and get notified every time they publish?
Create a free Muwado account →