Chrystal Meekers Momma (1980) - Essay Example

Poem by Chrystal Meeker Momma One of the most convincing poems on the true meaning of motherhood, Chrystal Meeker’s “Momma” (1980) deals with the importance of motherhood in every child’s life. The poet has been highly convincing in her effort to deal with poverty and starvation in relation to motherhood. In “Momma”, Chrystal Meeker efficiently presents a grown-up lady reflecting about her early childhood days and the role of her mother in her early days. Significantly, the focus of the poet is not on the things that a mother can purchase or give to a child.

Rather, the poem deals with how a mother makes sacrifices for her child. In other words, the poem by Meeker can be realized as dealing with a child’s recognition of how a mother gives up anything and everything for the sake of her child. Whereas the poet deals with poverty and despair affecting the family, the mother’s unconditional sacrifice for the children is the central theme of the poem, and she gladly starves herself in order to make the children contented. Therefore, a reflective exploration of the poem “Momma” by Crystal Meeker makes clear that the poet compellingly deals with the true meaning of motherhood through the skillful use of literary devices.

In a profound analysis of the poem “Momma”, it becomes lucid that Crystal Meeker’s major intention in writing the poem has been to glorify the true meaning of motherhood and the poet’s use of literary devices such as hyperbole, imagery, simile, etc. has helped him to convey his message persuasively. Significantly, any careful reader is reminded of a mother’s unconditional love and sacrifice for the well-being of her children and family. In this poem, Meeker magnificently presents a family facing the realities of poverty and the unlimited love and sacrifice of the mother becomes obvious to the reader.

In order to present the life of the family, the poet employs hyperbole when he suggests that mother and daughter did not always meet eye to eye: “they clawed their womanhoods out of each other” (line 3). Similarly, the poet indicates that the living condition of the family was not encouraging when presenting the mother “vacant-eyed” and “hollow-cheeked” (line 9), and the state of disrepair in the family is well suggested with the mention of the “cracking” counter (line 21). Thus, the poet, employing literary devices, presents poverty and lack of healthy condition in the family, in the background of which the real meaning of motherhood is established.

It is essential to comprehend that the poet is most effective when employing literary devices to offer the readers a glimpse of the true meaning of motherhood. Through images and symbols, Meeker introduces the real sacrifices of the mother who gives up all the comforts for the sake of her children. Thus, the poet tells that, when the children go for playing, the mother “began to lick the crumbs from my sister’s plate” (line 19). Similarly, the poet uses convincing imagery when presenting the mother sit down and “stick her finger at the sticky syrup” (line 23).

As Julie Moore interprets the poem, “In the poem Momma by Chrystal Meeker, the narrator provides the reader a glimpse of the real meaning of motherhood. It is not about what moms can buy but about what they will give up for their children.” (Moore) Thus, it is fundamental to realize that the major concern of the poet in “Momma” is to present a convincing illustration of the true sacrifice and love of a mother to her children, and the poet’s use of literary devices such as imagery and hyperbole has been crucial in the successful conveyance of the theme.

In short, Chrystal Meeker has been highly effective in dealing with the real meaning of motherhood through the major theme of the poem “Momma”. Works Cited Meeker, Chrystal. “Momma.” Moore, Julie. “Chrystal Meeker -- Analysis of the Poem Momma.” Associated Content. 2010. Jan 29, 2011. .