“The mother”- Gwendolyn Brooks Theme The major theme in the poem relates to the moral repercussions of some decisions in the lives of women. Women are faced by hard decisions in the face of pregnancy that may push them to commit acts of abortion. The speaker elucidates the pain she has underwent due to her numerous abortions and the reflections she has to live with in regards to her previous actions that haunt her. Gwendolyn Brooks in her poem brings out the emotive issue of abortions and their impact on the individual lives of various women.