Articles
Remember Your Mother
The second Sunday in May is observed in the United States in honor of mothers.
Below are some poems clipped long ago from 1900s Virginia newspapers:
"Before It Is Too Late!"
If you have a gray-haired mother
In the old home far away,
Sit down and write the letter
You put off day by day.
Don't wait until her tired steps
Reach heaven's royal gate,
Just show her that you think of her
Before it is too late.
If you've a tender message
Or a loving word to say,
Don't wait till you forget it,
But whisper it today.
Who knows what bitter memories
May haunt you if you wait?
So make the loved one happy
Before it is too late.
We live but in the present,
The future is unknown,
To-morrow is a mystery,
To-day is all our own;
The chance that future lends us
May vanish while we wait,
So give life's richest treasures
Before it is too late.
The tender word unspoken,
The letter never sent,
The long forgotten message,
The wealth of love unspent.
For these some hearts are breaking,
For these some loved ones wait,
O show them that you care for them
Before it is too late.
Author unknown
Somebody's Mother
The woman was old, and ragged, and gray,
And bent with the chill of the winter's day.
The street was wet with the recent snow,
And the woman's feet were aged and slow.
She stood at the crossing and waited long
Alone, uncared for, amid the throng
Of human beings who passed her by.
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.
Down the street with laughter and shout,
Glad in the freedom of "school let out,"
Came the boys like a flock of sheep,
Hailing the snow piled white and deep.
Nor offered a helping hand to her,
So meek, so timid, afraid to stir,
Lest the carriage wheels or the horses' feet
Should crowd her down in the slippery street.
At last came one of the merry troop,
The gayest laddie of all the group;
He paused beside her and whispered low,
"I'll help you across if you wish to go."
Her aged hand on his strong young arm
She placed, and so, without hurt or harm,
He guided her trembling feet along,
Proud that his own were firm and strong.
Then back again to his friends he went,
His young heart happy and well content.
"She's somebody's mother, boys you know,
For all she's aged and poor and slow."
"And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand,
If ever she's poor, and old, and gray.
When her own dear boy is far away."
And "somebody's mother" bowed low her head,
In her home that night, and the prayer she said,
Was, "God be kind to the noble boy,
Who is somebody's son and pride and joy."
Author unknown
Take This Letter to My Mother
Take this letter to my mother,
Far across the deep blue sea;
It will fill her heart with pleasure,
She'll be glad to hear from me.
How she wept when last we parted,
How her heart was filled with pain,
When she said: "Good-by, God Bless You -
We may never meet again."
Chorus
Take this letter to my mother,
Far across the deep blue sea;
It will fill her heart with pleasure,
She'll be glad to hear from me.
Take this letter to my mother,
It will fill her heart with joy,
Tell her that her prayers are answered,
God protects her darling boy.
Tell her to be glad and cheerful,
Pray for me where'er I roam,
And ere long I'll turn my footsteps
Back toward my dear old home.
Chorus
Take this letter to my mother,
Far across the deep blue sea;
It will fill her heart with pleasure,
She'll be glad to hear from me.
Take this letter to my mother,
It is filled with words of love,
If on earth I'll never meet her,
Tell her that we'll meet above.
Where there is no hour of parting,
All is peace and love and joy;
May God bless my dear old mother,
And protect her darling boy.
Chorus
Take this letter to my mother,
Far across the deep blue sea;
It will fill her heart with pleasure,
She'll be glad to hear from me.
Author unknown
