Poem – Was It True That I Had a Mother Who Died?
In this moving poem, Pope Shenouda III reflects on the pain of being motherless since birth, expressing deep human emotions of sorrow and longing for belonging. He wrote it at the age of sixteen, during his early poetic years.
Meditation on Sorrow and Loneliness:
The poem opens with a heartbreaking question: “Did I truly have a mother who died, or was I created without one?” — revealing a profound sense of alienation, as though he were cast into the world without roots or warmth.
Expression of Alienation:
He describes feeling as if God had thrown him into life as a stranger, flying through emptiness, asking time where he might find a brother, uncle, or relative — yet finding none. Even among his people, he feels alone, as if he does not belong.
Human Aspect:
These verses reveal the tender heart of a young poet who sincerely expressed his yearning for love and family. It is the cry of a soul seeking affection and connection that life denied him.
Spiritual Aspect:
Despite the sorrow, the poem foreshadows his later spiritual awakening — the discovery that God Himself becomes the loving Father and Mother to every lonely soul.
Message:
The poem teaches that pain can lead us closer to God, and that those who feel abandoned can find in Him a peace and love deeper than any human bond.
For better translation support, please contact the center
