“From the Heart of a Mother” – Poetry and Words for Motherhood

From the Heart of a Mother: Poetry and Words of Inspiration for All Stages of Motherhood (Poetry for Mothers, Poetry)

If someone would have told me that my dream of becoming an author and supporting other moms through empowering words would come to fruition, I would have laughed.

During the pandemic, I felt compelled to start writing online to offer support to those that didn’t have any due to quarantine. I began sharing my story about my difficult childhood, which led to me starting a blog (www.survivingmomblog.com) about mental health and motherhood. It was the blog that gave me the courage to start writing my poems on Facebook where I was able to combine my love of poetry with the love I have for my daughter.

Realizing struggles are a normal part of motherhood

I have been writing motherhood poems on Facebook for a few years, and it was actually my readers that encouraged me to write a book. The amount of support and positive feedback I received regarding my poetry was incredibly humbling and shocking to me. I never imagined that people from all over the world would find solace in my words. I also was shocked about the number of moms that commented that they didn’t know anyone else struggled with motherhood. I felt there was a need for moms to know that struggles are par for the course and that they aren’t bad mothers for having feelings of overwhelm, guilt, angst, frustration, and for missing simpler times. That was a big motivator to brave the world of publishing and write “From the Heart of a Mother.”

I too felt enormous guilt and panic about the responsibilities of motherhood

Too many of us suffer in silence because we feel shame about the hardships of motherhood. According to a Huffington Post survey, 90% of moms feel alone in their motherhood journey. It is a staggering statistic, and I was one of those 90%. I too felt enormous guilt and panic about the responsibilities of motherhood. I remember calling my father-in-law a few weeks postpartum crying, and he told me that my mother-in-law had felt the same way. A light bulb went on in my head at that time. Why wasn’t anyone talking about this? If I had known that it was normal to feel that way, it would have made me feel so much better.

Motherhood is the hardest AND most wonderful thing, and I feel deeply that both need to be discussed

My book doesn’t just talk about the love and blessings of motherhood. There is an entire section filled with poems about mom guilt, exhaustion, overwhelm, worry, doubt, sadness, and just about every other emotion that we go through. Motherhood is the hardest AND most wonderful thing, and I feel deeply that both need to be discussed. Mothers need to know that other mothers feel the same way that they do and that doesn’t make us bad mothers. It makes us human. My greatest hope is that every mother who reads From the Heart of a Mother feels less alone and more understood. My book also has sections for moms of younger kids and moms of older kids so that every mother will feel themselves in this book.

Motherhood is a journey filled with roadblocks and challenges. You think you’ve gotten a handle on them, and just like whack-a-mole, more pop up. Each phase and age comes with its own set of hurdles. Learning that I am never going to have all the answers, that it is okay to make mistakes as long as I own up and learn from them, and to continue to try my best are the things that help me no matter the obstacle. I am currently dealing with a pre-teen who both pushes me away and needs me, and I am trying to let go and give her space and encouragement to find her own footing. That is so hard for me as she has needed and wanted me for so long. I am also learning that at this age, she needs me to listen and acknowledge her concerns rather than jump in and fix them for her. Listening and repeating back what she says goes a lot further than me talking and telling her what to do. This age is very challenging, and I have no doubt that teendom will come with its own unique challenges!

Here are a few of the lessons/insights gained from my book, “From the Heart of a Mother: Poetry and Words of Inspiration for All Stages of Motherhood”:

Motherhood will help you to grow as a person because we want to be the best versions of ourselves for our kids.
You think you know love, but the kind of love we have for our kids goes beyond anything we could comprehend.
Motherhood will test you in every way possible. It will also show you how strong and resilient you truly are.
You will feel the highest of highs and the lowest of lows throughout your journey.
It is not possible to do everything right as a mother. Perfection is an impossible notion. However, your unconditional love is what your kids need. Your efforts are what they need. That is enough.
Be open and honest about your emotions. It allows you to fully process them and it shows your kids that it is safe to have their own emotions.
Our kids may get older, but some things never change. No matter their age and no matter ours, we will love and worry and care and try.
We will make mistakes. Our kids will make mistakes. Apologize and keep trying.

The most profound and unexpected lesson I learned in motherhood

One of the most profound and unexpected lessons I learned was that my child would be my greatest teacher. I actually dedicated a few poems to the lessons I’ve learned from my child! Another biggie is that being her mother paved the road for me to grow, both as a person and as a wife. I had to acknowledge and work through my inner demons. Lastly, I learned that love doesn’t equal perfection. My child doesn’t need or want me to be perfect, and that mentality will only make her feel that she needs to be perfect.

I hope that my writing encourages mothers to share their story

There are a few things I hope will come from reading my book. One is that our pasts do not have to dictate our future. Cycles can be broken. We can choose to do better and be better than what we had as children. I also hope that my writing encourages mothers to share their story and start speaking about their hardships. We need to stop thinking that we are bad moms when we try our best and love with our whole hearts. We have to start expressing our hardships during motherhood so we can get support and end the cycle of shame and guilt that come from our struggles.

No matter your stage of motherhood or your struggles, I hope you feel seen, heard, and understood as you read “From the Heart of a Mother”.

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For more motherhood poetry, read A Poem To The Child Who Made Me A Mom.

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Written by

Randi Latzman

@survivingmomblog

Randi Latzman is a Speech-Language Pathologist turned stay-at-home mom and influential mommy author. Latzman started her blog, Surviving Mom Blog, in the summer of 2020 to share her story and support other moms through her empowering words. Latzman’s blog writing quickly evolved into poetry writing about her journey through motherhood and the trials and tribulations that comes with being a parent. Her writing has continued to gain attention and shows exponential growth each year since its debut in 2020. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Her View From Home, Today Parents, Love What Matters, and MSN. Randi Latzman lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and 12-year-old daughter.

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