Praise Song for My Mother by Grace Nichols (Analysis)

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Grace Nichols was born in the Caribbean country of Guyana. The poem is given a sense of culture as seen in the fourth stanza where reference is made to food, the Caribbean cuisine in particular. Additionally, a praise song is a tradition in many African cultures and the title includes the word “praise” and “mother” to give a clear impression to the reader that the poem is meant to express admiration to all mothers. The poem explores the theme of motherly love and its significance in the growth and development of the poet as a child. The structure of the poem emphasizes the idea of growth and development. This can be seen in the shapes of stanzas one to four, which increase in length to convey this idea. Use of present participles at the end of each of the said stanzas represent the ongoing and never-ending love of a mother towards her child. Likewise, repetition of the word “replenishing” in stanza four gives emphasis on the certainty of her mother’s constant provision of love and comfort. The importance of Nichols’ mother can be seen by the use of the word “you” in the beginning of each of the stanzas one to four. On the other hand, the use of past tense “you were” suggests that Nichol’s mother is no longer with her. The poet’s metaphorical use of natural elements show that her mother was a fundamental necessity and that the love of a mother is natural and instinctual. “Water” in the first stanza is symbolic of the beginning of life and may refer to the womb. This word is closely linked to “moon” in the following stanza to compare the “pull” the moon has on tides with the effect her mother had on her as a child by being the stimulus for her growth. The word “sunrise” expresses the fact that her mother was always there for her on a daily basis, that she was a source of joy and happiness. Descriptive words such as “deep and bold and fathoming”

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