Mother, A Cradle to Hold Me

The use of alliteration, or the repetition of initial consonant sounds, adds to the rhythm and meaning of the poem. Some examples include “condescendingly of course” (Line 62), which adds to the coarse tone of the teenage speaker towards their mother, as well as “I spoke sharply of you, often / Because you were slow to understand” (Lines 65-66) with the “s” sounds adding a softer contrast to the “c” sounds above, almost a whisper because of the shame the older speaker feels as they reflect back on that time. Alongside alliteration, Angelou also uses enjambment, the continuation of a complete thought from one line to the next, suggesting the free-flowing, interlapping memories Angelou wants to portray. One example includes “When you knew nothing / And I knew everything, I loved you still” (Lines 60-61), combining the contrast between her external snobbish teenage behaviors and her actual internal feelings.

The title of the poem immediately sets up the metaphor of a cradle, upon which Angelou further elaborates in the first stanza: “Your arms were molded / Into a cradle to hold me, to rock me” (Lines 7-8). The entire poem is built upon this comparison of the mother’s stature as a cradle, as being capable of comforting her baby during sleep and other times of need. The physical idea of the mother as a cradle continues as the child ages. In the third stanza, the speaker recalls not wanting their mother to leave: “You smiled at my fears, saying / I could not stay in your lap forever” (Lines 21-22). The cradle represents emotional comfort as well as physical: “Each time you reentered my world / You brought assurance / Slowly I gained confidence” (Lines 34-36). The term “cradle” (Line 8) and the meanings it evokes suggest infancy, the desperate need a baby has for their mother. While Angelou addresses that interpretation, she continues the concept of a cradle and the need for a mother during the adolescent and adult years.