Expectations assignment 1
Pre-draft assignment 1
http://archive.cunyhumanitiesalliance.org/breathingthroughwriting/2017/03/15/pre-draft-assignment-1/
Rough Draft “Dear mum”
http://archive.cunyhumanitiesalliance.org/breathingthroughwriting/2017/03/21/rough-draft/
I peer review Hira and Praggya.
Artist statement.
I would like to share this essay for you to see my thoughts about the poem “Dear Mum”. You will learn some more about me and the way I think. One point I present is the way we treat our mothers, and if I had more time I would have interview people from different cultures and ask them how they treat to their mothers. This maybe could have helped me in developing my ideas more. I believe this is unique as well as a short part of my life that I share because I come from a foreign country which later you will know.
During this project, I learn that never is too late to say sorry to our loved ones, in this case the love for our mother for us is so immense that she will forgive us for our mistakes, even if we made them toward her. In the poem I read I found many mixed feelings and I know you are going to know then later.
I learned many things when sharing my drafts with my classmate. Hira told me to go deeper and to relate it more with my experiences. She specifically pointed out the places where I should add more. She helped me with examples. I liked the way she approached to me because it is hard to give feedback in a friendly way. She was great at it.
When I was in high-school I hated poetry, because each time I had to go to the dictionary to have an idea of the entire poem. However, the poems we have heard and watched in class were interesting because we saw their body language and the intentions the speakers had when performing. Sometimes they would raise their voice to make emphasis on what they need to inform or let us know. Other times they would speak quietly to show deeper feelings.
Lastly, I would like to tell you to leave comments if you like so that I can improve this piece of writing,
A word: Mother
Most of people can relate to this video in that most have called mother to someone even if that person is not biologically their mother. Mother is a powerful word because when we think about that word many others come to our mind like love, care, generosity, strength, etc. The speaker presents to his mother in a melancholic and realistic way, because he mentions how much he loves and misses his mother. In addition, he points out and admits the times when he did not behave in a correct way toward his mother showing some regret in their words.
One of the reasons why I had a culture shock when I arrived to the USA was the relationship between parents and their children. I have been witness of how teenagers and young adults treat to their mothers. I was surprised how a mother can let their daughter treat her in a way where she just stays shut. On the other hand, I have beliefs of how to treat to a mother. For example, it does not matter how mad can I be or how free I feel of being 18 or 21 years old. I cannot be disrespectful with my mother in that she deserves to be treated not only with respect but also with love and care. This is an action that at least we as sons and daughters can do for our mothers. So, I wonder if the author of this poem was raised in the United States? Or if the same happens in all our cultures? In addition, there is a lot going on in our lives, different characters and we as humans are imperfect, but we should seek to live in harmony among our family keeping the bad aside.
Another objective of this poem is to ask for forgiveness because he no longer has his mother by his side. “I have one last request for you before you leave please since a lot of paradise beneath your feet please ask Allah to let paradise be the place where we finally meet”. When he said this, we realize that he lost his mom. Everybody has been through a loss of a loved one, so we know how painful it is. Nevertheless, to lose your mother must be one of the most painful feelings one can have. The author found the right words to describe how someone can realize what he had. He describes how his “mum” was since she carried him for nine months and how he used to ignore her when he was late to home. He also mentions the natural way his mother used to make him feel better when sick, by drinking a cup of tea with honey. To make us feel more connected to the poem, it shows us a clip of a warm cup of tea with honey, then we see the cup is in the whole video as well as the kitchen in the back, which I believe is the place he feels closer to her. I have a long-distance relationship with my mother because she lives in my native country, Peru. I see her when I travel for vacations one a year but three weeks cannot be compared to a year of not having her by my side. At first it was hard to learn how to be independent doing everything by myself. And after some time, I had to get strong. I remember the nights she used to be by my side with no sleep while I had fever or had some infection, and one day I had the opportunity to retrieve it.
All these memories bring me an experience where I did not lose her but I felt like I was. Around eight or nine years ago my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. We were devastated by the news. I was very young but I remember everything. I saw how she was suffering with the chemotherapies. My mom always asked me for help because I was the youngest and I could run all over the house. She spent around one year and a half with the treatment, and currently she is cancer free. Sometimes I think this might be one of the reasons why I was caring with her. At that age, I was starting my teenage, and I lacked a lot of material things. I learn to value what I already had, which was health and having my family together. A very good example is that for my prom party we could not afford the dress, because it had to be of a certain color to match my classmates. I already had on my mind that I was not going to be able to get it. I remember I have always been quiet and comprehensive so I never made a scene. I remember my older sister told me that I was going to look unique because I was going to wear a white dress (which I already had). And of course, on that day I was proud of being on that special day with my mom.
The poem touched my heart and made me realize how much I miss her and that I am not used to tell her how much I love her. Take actions in the present, not only with your mother but with all people who deserve to know how much you love and care for them.