A'nt Pang, a Colored woman whose been here and gone

Yet, for as long as I live her legacy will survive.

I will glady tell her story to any who cares to listen

To this day I don't how she came to be called Pang

once it was called that was all that needed to be said

She wasn’t really my aunt, can't even say we were kin

Her and mama were like sisters since they were children.

They were only months apart in age and grew up together.

It seemed fitting I called her aunt, it made me feel closer.

Material things A'nt Pang, like mama never had very much

Yet, selflessly shared that she had, even if times were tough

With four young mouths to feed, she didn’t get much help

As many mothers did then, only looked to family and self

She worked menial jobs, did the best a single parent could.

Instilling in them a sense of pride and along with self-respect

Over the years Aunt Pang’s home became a refuge of sort

For deadbeats, vagabonds, and few ne’er do wells alike

A few came to spend a night, weeks or months they stayed

Knowing they’d get a free meal, and a roof over their head

Taking advantage of her generosity any way they could

Their only contributions were to help with the chores

Never heard this generous soul gripe of complain

Knowing well, some were too lazy to do anything.

In thinking back on all those years, I often wonder

How could she so willing share that which she had?

When most who stayed seemed not to spend a dime

To buy food, or help with any other household expense.

I remember in ‘47 when a tornado blew us away

While the Red Cross help to rebuild our shack

She unselfishly gave Lil’ Ma and me a place to stay.

In looking back, she was more than an aunt or cousin

I began to look upon her as being my third mother

And saw her children as being my sisters and brothers.

In June of‘84 when mama got sick she took her in

And had a stroke January ’93 would’ve gladly then.

In, March of ‘97 my one and only child was born

It had been nearly four years since mama died

In her absence I was glad she was alive to see him

For what turned out to be the one and only time.

Hardly more than a year passed her time came to go

Heaven was her reward for being such a generous soul

Yet she left us rich with her memories and her legacy

A gentle soul whose unselfishness knew no boundaries

Yet she made a big difference in lives of those she touched

Never so many among us owed one soul so very much.