Poems about mums

Read the poem and supply the right forms of the verbs in brackets.

The First Woman in my Life

by Levi Tafari
 

A woman's work is never done
If you don't believe me ask my mum
She 1 ___(work) her fingers to the bone
To provide us with a decent home
If she 2___ (live) in Ancient Rome
She could have built that city on her own
She cooks, she cleans
She does everything
She irons decorates and does the shopping
She chastised us when we 3___ (be) rude
But never 4___ (send) us to bed with out food
Everyday she would change our clothes
If we 5 ___ (have) colds she would wipe our nose
Or if we 6___ (go) to mum with a problem
Mum would always help us solve them
We 7__ (not want) for anything
We 8___ (get) the greatest gift mum's loving
You can have ten aunties and scores of lovers
But remember you only have one mother
I remember when someone pointed a finger
Mum 9___ (say) I was Black, beautiful and I had culture

She always 10___ (make) sure we went to school
Because in this life you can't be a fool
You can see people will ride you like a mule
It was mum who 11__ (teach) me to be cool
So mother there's something I want you to know
I love you mum, I love you so
You taught me to survive in the ghetto
You can have my last ROLO

If it 12__ (be) not for you then I would not exist
So here it comes for you a kiss
Yes you was the first woman in my life
But one day I will take a wife
Then hopefully she'll become a mum
A woman's work is never done.

© Levi Tafari
March 1983

POet Levi tafari visisted ESFF in February 2007. Watch the video of his performance here.