What Is the Meaning of Making a Fist in Naomi Shihab Nye's Poem?

"Making a Fist" was published in 1988. In the poem, Nye describes her experience being comforted by her mother when she was sick. Her mother told her she was not dying as long as she still had the strength to make a fist. Nye then writes that she is still comforted by this thought.

Naomi Shihab Nye is an Arab-American poet. Her writing focuses on her experiences as a member of an ethnic minority. She commonly writes about the nature of life, death and humanitarianism.