Mama the Engine I Know is a celebratory tribute to motherhood. Hawa Hussein Kayanda, a budding brilliant poet, gives us a refreshing and humble submission of a grateful daughter to an alter ego mother in this first publication of her poetry. In Mama the Engine I Know Kayanda takes us through her mother’s power over her life and personal growth, her mother’s strength as a resolute home guardian and personal mentor to a daughter more than ready to appreciate mother’s value. Through the well crafted verses, the reader is welcomed to witness the bond of intimacy between mother and daughter and the small but significant sweet moments leading to a lifelong friendship. The poem leaves us in a wistful mood, giving us space to reflect on our own inadequacies in our familial relationships.