The First Woman in my Life
The First Woman in my Life
Do the preparation exercise first and then read the poem. Don't worry if you don't understand every single word. Then do the exercises to check your understanding.
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 worked her fingers to the bone
To provide us with a decent home
If she lived in Ancient Rome
She could of 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 were rude
But never sent us to bed with out food
Everyday she would change our clothes
If we had colds she would wipe our nose
Or if we went to mum with a problem
Mum would always help us solve them
We didn't want for anything
We got 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 said I was Black, beautiful and I had culture
She always made 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 taught 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 was 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
This poem was selected as part of the BritLit project. To find out more about BritLit visit our TeachingEnglish site.
Comments
The job of being a mom is both the worst and best job at the same time.
I LOVE my mom and I will be thankful to her for evrything she has done for me ,i say good luck in their life all moms around the world
i think most mums in the world can relate to this
being mother is a special word the word with just two people you & you'r baby.and it's a big word of love & sweet difficulty."love u mom"
I think that the most difficult job on earth is to be a mother! Like it is said in the poem, a mother does almost everything :-)
This reminds me of how much I love my mum! And I think I am going to tell her that right now. by the way the poem was amazing I loved it!
It's too difficult
Hi ghada! Yes, it is quite a difficult poem, isn't it? Never mind, other ones are not so difficult - try Orange Juice. I hope you enjoy that one.
Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)
My mom is evrything I have in my life and I will be forever thankful for this to her.I thank god that give children moms
Mother is a great and gold person in life.
The job of a mother is the most difficult job ever. And this poem proved it. It was awesome. the last lines were breathtaking...
I think it's the most dfficult and the best in the same time :)
yes ,,mum is most great woman..
To be a mother isn't easy but every mum likes that job and she wouldn't change it for any other.
This poem is amazing because it makes us realize how our mothers are important in our lives :)
I am boy...But i can think how is the to be mumy...It is very very responsible work...
mummy its the most precious thing on the world !! I LOVE MY MUM♥♥♥
i have tried helping my mum once or twice and it is veryyyy difficult
a mother will do anything to help her child.she is always there when i need her the most.the experience of being a mother is the most wonderful and hard of all experiences life ever gives us.thank you mom for being there
Yes it is the most dificult of all jobs especially in bringing up children
In the line "You can get my last ROLO" does the author simply mean the type of chocolate or is it something else? Does anyone know? Thanks!
oops, disregard my question - I got the answer when I started doing the tasks.
really nice poem
and it´s right
... i love my mum ....<3 <3 <3
I liked this so much :)) I love my mum and sure that woman's work is never done :))
i liked this ^_^ very nice
dificult maybe
is very difficult
mother's job is toooooooooooooo difficult
i think is difficult but wonderful
I think that being a mother i beautiful and difficult at the same time...
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