Write Now: Mother writers reflect on joys and challenges of motherhood
A Folio Curated by JP Howard
This folio consists of poems and essays by poets who are all mothers – some first time mothers and others seasoned mamas with grown children. These pieces speak to the joy, complications, struggles and often worries that come with being a mother. As a mother of two suns (sons) I know that we are not always invited to submit work that speaks to how we walk through the world as mothers and this short folio allows us to do just that. My role as a Mama often finds its way in my own writing, whether I want it to or not, and I’m delighted to include the work of four writer Mamas that allows them to center themselves in their writing and reflect on being a mother. I’ll end this introduction to their pieces by sharing a short new poem “etheree for my suns/sons” that speaks to the joys and worries that often accompany my own role as mama to two sons.
etheree for my suns/sons
i
pray chant
lullaby
even whisper
my prayers for you
wrote a book length of poems
suns, sons, I call you daily
celebrating the gift you are
and worrying, almost always sons
about how you may be someone’s trigger
-JP Howard
Featured
Anastacia-Reneé
J. Nicole Hill
Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz
Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie
JP Howard’s debut poetry collection, SAY/MIRROR (The Operating System), was a Lambda Literary finalist. She is the author of bury your love poems here (Belladonna*). JP is a 2018 featured author in Lambda Literary’s LGBTQ Writers in Schools program and was a Split this Rock Freedom Plow Award for Poetry & Activism finalist. JP has received fellowships from Cave Canem, VONA, and Lambda and curates Women Writers in Bloom Poetry Salon. http://www.jp-howard.com