Rosie Palacios’ “Gravity” is a well-crafted poem that makes a unique comparison between a mother’s love and the force of gravity. Written in free verse, Rosie elaborates on how much her mother means to her, how “unstoppable, undefinable” their bond is, all while sparking a feeling of nostalgia within the reader.

Rosie’s comparison between her mother and gravity flows flawlessly throughout the poem. The correlation allows phrases such as “not so easily definable as: force = mass x acceleration”; rather than a simple formula, as is often used to determine the pull of gravity, Rosie’s mother is even greater, and her love is even stronger than nature’s forces.

Rosie’s skill with words is also made clear through her description of her mother. To Rosie, her love is “what brings comets streaking down to the earth… the gentle pull that brings a feather swaying to the ground.” Expressed in true poetry, Rosie’s words convey to the reader who her mother is: someone who is there for her daughter through thick and thin, braving both storm and breeze together with her child. The entire piece is overflowing with love; it is clear Rosie poured her heart into writing “Gravity.”

As I read Rosie’s piece, I was reminded of my own mother. I could feel my heart agreeing with everything she said about how “equations of love” and “blueprints of wisdom” are passed down from mother to daughter. Rosie's piece reminded me that no matter how far I venture, my mother will always be waiting to welcome me back into her arms. Without our mothers we “would be free, weightless, but lost with no rotation,” like abandoned planets. We would be liberated form control, but without motherly guidance, we would be lost.

Thank you, Rosie, for conveying that a mother’s love is just as strong – perhaps even more powerful – than gravity.