I wrote this poem in 1976 while raising my three year old daughter on my own. I was on my own until Amanda was 7 then found my lovey got married and went on to have two more child a girl and a boy.
This is my journey as a Single Mum
Raising a child on your own to describe is a rather hard thing to do
But I will try my very best to explain it to you.
Answering their questions and hoping that you say
the things that will make them strong
And knowing because you are the only one
so you can't afford to be wrong
You have been hurt and you don't understand
But for the spirit of the child you must act
the winning hand
Time is a factor, there isn't enough
You need someone to share the responsibility
it is a must
Pressures financial and providing for the child
Feeling hard inside but on the outside you must be
mild
But your child is always there to reach out a loving hand
The child wakes up very sick in the night
Alone you must face the fears and the fright
You are fully responsible for this child night and day
The grow from what you do, they grow from what you say.
My daughter has two daughters of her own today....a 22 year old that just graduated Guelph University in Political Science on the Dean's list and a 18 year old that is in first at the University of Waterloo in Environmental Science. Amanda is a teacher that works with Autistic High School student. I am beyond proud of them all.