Mothers Sing A Lullaby Poem Analysis

The poet Susan Nalugwa Kiguli from Uganda wrote the poem “Mothers Sing a Lullaby” during the Rwandan genocide. Coming from Africa herself, Susan’s inspiration for her poems and other literary works comes from African society, and she contributes in helping civilians of her own heritage. Her literary works and her voice in helping those in need have expanded worldwide and have been greatly acknowledged. This poem shows that defense and comfort can overtake the bloody power of the genocide, that light and hope can overtake the pitch-black darkness. During times of distress, strong protection overrides the fear-inducing environment.
This poem begins with a mother who is amidst the destruction and slaughter of the genocide and decides to lift up her …show more content…
The mother is trying to accomplish two things: to solace her children and gain faith in Rwanda. There are moments where one feels hopeless through times of extreme distress. Especially for children, they are easily influenced by their surroundings as they are still growing, developing, and getting a sense of the world they will soon live in. It is the mother’s responsibility to lead her children in the right directions and to surround themselves in times of peace and places of hope. If the children notices violence and dead bodies surrounding them, their immediate response is most likely to cry and panic, which then makes the mother stressed out, contributing more to chaos of the genocide. In addition, the mother is trying extend her lullaby to reach a wider audience, the entire nation of Rwanda. Since the mother can't be a full-on rescuer, as she is a victim herself, she does what her capabilities allow her to do to reach the light at the end of the tunnel, to boldly announce everyone is human, and to let the world know that everything will be