The Mothering Blackness BY MAYA ANGELOU She came home running        back to the mothering blackness        deep in the smothering blackness white tears icicle gold plains of her face        She came home running She came down creeping        here to the black arms waiting        now to the warm heart waiting rime of alien dreams befrosts her rich brown face        She came down creeping She came home blameless        black yet as Hagar’s daughter        tall as was Sheba’s daughter threats of northern winds die on the desert’s face        She came home blameless