Letter to Mama - Personal Essay

"Dear Mama!"

You are appreciated...

When I was young, me and my mama had beef

17 years old kicked out on tha streets

though back in tha time, I never thought I'd see her face

ain't a woman alive that can take my mommas place

suspended from school, scared ta go home

I was a fool with tha big boys breaking all tha rules

shed tears with my baby sister

over tha years we wuz poorer than tha other little kids

and even though we had different dadies

tha same drama when things went wrong we blamed mama

I reminised on tha stress I caused, it wuz hell

hugg'en on my mama from a jail cell

and who'ed think in elementry, heeeey i'd see tha penatentry

One day

running from tha Police, that's right

Momma catch me--put a whoop'en to my backside

and even as a crack fiend mama,

ya always was a black queen mama

I finally understand for a woman

it ain't easy--trying ta raise a man

ya always wuz commited, a poor single mother on welfare,

tell me how ya did it

there's no way I can pay ya back

but tha plan is ta show ya that I understand.

you are appreciated......

Laaaaady, don't cha know we luv ya

Sweeeet Laaaady, place no one above ya

Sweeeet Laaaady, don't cha know we luv ya

Ain't nobody tell us it wuz fair

no luv for my daddy, cause tha coward wuzn't there

he passed away and I didn't cry

cause my anger, wouldn't let me feel for a stranger

they say i'm wrong and i'm heartless

but all along I wuz looking for a father--he wuz gone

I hung around with tha thug's and even though they sold drugs

they showed a young brother luv

I moved out and started really hang'in

I needed money of my own so I started slang'in

I ain't guilty cause, even though I sell rocks

It feels good, putting money in your mailbox

I love paying rent when tha rents due

I hope ya got tha diamond necklace that I sent to you

cause when I wuz low, you was there for me

ya never left me alone, cause ya cared for me

and I can see ya coming home after work late

ya in tha kitchen trying ta fix us a hot plate

just working with tha scraps you wuz given

and mama made miracles every Thanksgiving

but now tha road got rough, your alone

trying ta raise two bad kids on your own

and there's no way I can pay ya back

but my plan is ta show ya that I understand

you are appreciated.....

Laaaaady, don't cha know we luv ya

Sweeeet Laaaady, place no one above ya

Sweeeet Laaaady, don't cha know we luv ya

pour out some liquor and I remenise

cause through tha drama, I can always depend on my mama

and when it seems that i'm hopeless

you say tha words that can get me back in focus

when I wuz sick as a little kid

ta keep me happy theres no limit to tha things ya did

and all my childhood memories

are full of all tha sweet things ya did for me

and even though I act craaaazy

I got ta thank tha Lord that ya maaaade me

There are no words that can express how I feel

Ya never kept a secret, always stayed real

and I appreciate how ya raised me

and all tha extra love that ya gave me

I wish I could take tha pain away

If you can make it through tha night, there's a brighter day

everything'll be alright if ya hold on

it's a strugle

everyday gotta roll on

and there's no way I can pay ya back

but my plan is ta show ya that I understand

you are appreciated.......

Laaaaady, don't cha know we luv ya

Sweeeet Laaaady, place no one above ya

Sweeeet Laaaady, don't cha know we luv ya, Sweeeet Laaaady

Laaaady...[fades]...Laaaady

Sweet Lady