Blessed be the mothers:

the “Mom”s, “Mama”s and “Ma”s,

the “Mommy”s, too, and the “Mum”s.

Those for whom birth was more

than an accident of fate,

but a turn in the road, a job, a call.

Blessed, too, be the godmothers,

the aunties, the “step”s, women who

with open hands mother not from their bodies

but from their hearts.

Where mothers flourish,

let us rejoice.

Where mothers fail,

let us learn to forgive.

Let us mother ourselves,

our own bodies,

with care and with compassion.

Let us be mothers

to the whole, wide world,

a force to halt all evil and cease all want,

but with gentle hand bury

its bashful head

in the comfort of our aprons.