ODE Poem: An Ode to Single Mothers, by Kanye Waldon

To the women who do the near-impossible
Who spend much of their lives
Doing the work meant for two souls
Praise be to the woman!
Who carries countries on her back
And does not crumble
Even at the brink of collapse

She, who bears her being to her God,
Begging for the strength to do enough
To do enough for her children,
The seeds she bore,
The miracles she labored into Life
Out of respect for her,
May the offspring take her name
And her name only

The one deserving of everything,
If not anyone, her.
Who else has known
The pain of her burden?
The disappointment of flawed men
And false promises?

Regardless of circumstance,
Consensual or otherwise,
She, alone, faces the brunt of misfortune
And makes it into something better,
Blessing.

Infinite blessings to the women
Who perform works such as these.
Let us gift them
All the Earth’s flowers,
Badges of the highest honor,
Medals, fashioned with the finest jewels
Crowns of immaculate glory,
Ode to women such as these.