Poem Analysis - The Mother

Introduction: A Lament of Motherhood and Loss

Gwendolyn Brooks' "The Mother" is a poignant and deeply unsettling poem exploring the complex emotions surrounding abortion. The poem unfolds as a raw, confessional monologue from a mother grappling with the memory of terminated pregnancies. Its tone is initially accusatory and regretful, shifting to a desperate plea for understanding and ultimately, a heartrending expression of love and loss. The pervasive sense of guilt and the struggle to reconcile conflicting emotions create a powerful and unforgettable reading experience.

The Unshakeable Weight of Memory

One of the primary themes in "The Mother" is the enduring power of memory and the impossibility of escaping the consequences of one's actions. The opening lines, "Abortions will not let you forget," immediately establish this theme. The poem emphasizes the haunting presence of the aborted children, who are described as "the children you got that you did not get." This paradoxical phrase highlights the paradoxical nature of abortion itself: a life both conceived and denied. The poem makes it clear that even though the children never lived full lives, they exist as persistent memories, preventing the mother from finding peace. The lines describing the "damp small pulps" and "singers and workers that never handled the air" underscore the potential lost and the enduring impact of the abortions on the mother's psyche.

Conflicted Motherhood: Love and Regret

The poem profoundly develops the theme of conflicted motherhood. The speaker grapples with the inherent contradiction of being a mother who chose not to mother. The imagined interactions with her children – "You will never neglect or beat / Them, or silence or buy with a sweet" – reveal the maternal instincts that persist despite her actions. These imagined scenarios highlight the opportunities and experiences she actively forfeited. Yet, the poem also expresses a deep longing to nurture and protect, even in retrospect. The phrase "Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye" is a disturbing but potent image of a desperate, almost ravenous, need to mother. This imagery showcases the inner turmoil of a mother grappling with the implications of her choices.

The Ambiguity of Agency and Deliberateness

Another important theme is the question of agency and the degree to which the abortions were truly "deliberate." The speaker wrestles with guilt, acknowledging her role in ending the pregnancies. The lines "Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized / Your luck / And your lives from your unfinished reach" are filled with remorse. However, she then attempts to justify her actions, claiming, "even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate." This seemingly contradictory statement suggests that the abortions were perhaps driven by circumstances beyond her complete control, or that the full weight of the decision wasn't fully understood at the time. The section that follows, beginning with "Though why should I whine," marks a turning point, as the speaker questions her own justifications and accepts responsibility, even if she can't fully comprehend her own motivations. The ambiguity surrounding her deliberateness invites the reader to consider the complex socio-economic and personal factors that may influence such choices.

Recurring Symbols: The Voices of the Wind and Dimness

The poem utilizes powerful symbolism to convey its message. The "voices of the wind" represent the voices of the aborted children, a constant, spectral reminder of their absence. The wind is a natural force, uncontrollable and pervasive, mirroring the inescapable nature of the mother's guilt. The word "dim" also recurs, describing the "killed children" and "dears," suggesting a sense of incompleteness and lost potential. Dimness also symbolizes the obscured circumstances surrounding the abortions and the speaker's own partially clouded understanding of her motives. The repeated use of "dim" reinforces the sense of a past shrouded in sadness and regret, a past the speaker can never fully clarify or escape.

Conclusion: Love Amidst the Unsayable

"The Mother" is a powerful and unsettling exploration of the psychological and emotional consequences of abortion. Through vivid imagery, conflicting emotions, and a confessional tone, Gwendolyn Brooks delves into the complexities of motherhood, guilt, and memory. The poem is not a simple condemnation or justification of abortion, but a nuanced and deeply human portrayal of a woman grappling with a profound loss. The final lines, "Believe me, I loved you all," serve as a poignant and heartrending testament to the enduring power of maternal love, even in the face of unspeakable grief and regret, leaving the reader with a lingering sense of sorrow and a profound understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of the speaker's experience.