A post shared by Leslé Honoré (@leslehonore) on May 20, 2018 at 6:46am PDT

I’m no Royals super fan, but I did watch the wedding on Saturday. And this post-wedding Instagram tribute to Meghan Markle’s mama floored me.

It was fun, and entertaining and escapist—but kinda beautiful too.

The celebrity spotting, the outfits, the choir, that speech…oh my goodness, that speech made me want to go to church and start singing Hallelujah myself—and that’s saying something.

But whenever the camera zoomed in on her I couldn’t take my eyes off Doria Ragland, a social worker, yoga instructor, and Meghan Markle’s mama.

And I wasn’t quite sure why until I read this poem of tribute to her on Instagram today. In the midst of all the post wedding posts, this one took me by surprise, and hit me right in the gut with its raw truth and heart.

It gives perfect voice to the quiet gravity, poise, and power which I think I got a glimpse of through the screen in the midst of all that ceremony and celebration.

And it moved me.

It’s written by Chicago-based poet, Leslé Honoré, who has kindly given us permission to share her words here:
~

For the Dorias of the world 
Who will sit alone 
At graduations and weddings 
At baseball games and school plays 
At proms and award ceremonies 
Who will carry the load 
Of everything 
Wiping tears 
And celebrating
School projects 
And first heartbreaks 
Who stay up all night 
Helping write papers and college apps 
The mothers who silently 
Create a universe for their children 
Launching pads to toss them in to the 
Solar system 
With hands wide open to grab 
All the stars their hearts desire 
The Dorias who always leave space 
For a father’s redemption 
Knowing it may never come 
Because they have spent a life time 
Patching their children back together 
Picking up the crushed spirits 
Rebuilding them with love 
This is for the Dorias
Who will watch as their legacies 
Take steps towards their own journeys 
Armed with love 
Armed with hope 
Armed with strength 
That the years of struggle 
Lack 
Survival
Forged onto their souls
And for the children 
Who have watched their mothers 
Make a life out of thin air
A dollar out of 15 cents 
Who have seen ceilings shattered 
Barriers leapt over 
And are covered in black girl magic 
They know that there is 
no limit
To their dreams 
To success 
that hard work can’t achieve 
No trial that last forever 
They have learned to
Weather the storms 
Know for certain that the sun will come 
Warm their faces 
And illuminate their paths 
The way their mothers have 
From their first breath 
For the Dorias
In that last car ride 
Driving to your children’s 
Next adventure 
For the Dorias
Free spirited 
And strong 
Who know they are never alone
Who know there is a 
Matriarchal militia marching 
With them 
I raise my glass to all of us 
Salud

~

Relephant:

Here’s what “got Date 2” with Meghan Markle.

“108 Little Things to appreciate about being Single.”

“The Simple Buddhist Trick to being Happy.”

Author: Khara-Jade Warren
Poem & Image: Leslé Honoré