The Uncivilized Mother | Olute Aete

I am an uncivilized
Mother
And what I do; you must
Hate –

When my baby shit,
I clean his tender
ass
with the rough lantana camara

At times I TOUCH SHIT
And now I mean my shit
And clean my fingers on grass.
And I never hesitate to feed the child,
without bothering to wash my hands -
( isn’t the child’s stomach insensitive to germs!)

Are you scornful of me?

A…ha!
I developed a silly opinion on you
before towards me,
you developed a single contempt and
By the way,
Are you aware,
whenever one comes for a meal in my house,
I spat thick blobs of partum in her food

And I am least willing
To change my ways

Poet's note: Theme: The poem is about an unconventional mother who does things in a way that many people may find strange or unhygienic. She uses natural materials to clean her baby and herself, and does not worry too much about germs or cleanliness.