For Karen

[Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome]
by Christina Rossetti

Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome
Has many sonnets: so here now shall be
One sonnet more, a love sonnet, from me
To her whose heart is my heart’s quiet home,
To my first Love, my Mother, on whose knee
I learnt love-lore that is not troublesome;
Whose service is my special dignity,
And she my loadstar while I go and come
And so because you love me, and because
I love you, Mother, I have woven a wreath
Of rhymes wherewith to crown your honored name:
In you not fourscore years can dim the flame
Of love, whose blessed glow transcends the laws
Of time and change and mortal life and death.

Comments

  1. Beautiful!
    : )

  2. Candy in Chicago says:

    Lovely poem, who is Karen? DL if you read the blog want to let you know last nights’episode of RM was very good. Loved Lou’s apartment, but I always did so enjoy Oscar Madison. Also liked how Lou gave TG a good kick in the pants about 9/11, he needed it.

  3. Karen commented on another post (I believe it was Come, My Beauties, Teach Me) that her mother had just passed away and asked if I knew of any good mother/daughter poems. I chose this one.

  4. Ann,
    This was sent to me recently and I thought I would share it with the blog friends. Karen, so sorry on the loss of your mom.
    Before I Was A Mom:
    Before I was a Mom,
    I never tripped over toys
    or forgot words to a lullaby.
    I didn’t worry whether or not
    my plants were poisonous.
    I never thought about immunizations.
    Before I was a Mom,
    I had never been puked on.
    Pooped on.
    Chewed on.
    Peed on.
    I had complete control of my mind
    and my thoughts.
    I slept all night.
    Before I was a Mom,
    I never held down a screaming child
    so doctors could do tests.
    Or give shots.
    I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
    I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
    I never sat up late hours at night
    watching a baby sleep.
    Before I was a Mom,
    I never held a sleeping baby just because
    I didn’t want to put her down.
    I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
    when I couldn’t stop the hurt.
    I never knew that something so small
    could affect my life so much.
    I never knew that I could love someone so much.
    I never knew I would love being a Mom.
    Before I was a Mom,
    I didn’t know the feeling of
    having my heart outside my body..
    I didn’t know how special it could feel
    to feed a hungry baby.
    I didn’t know that bond
    between a mother and her child.
    I didn’t know that something so small
    could make me feel so important and happy..
    Before I was a Mom,
    I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
    I had never known the warmth,
    the joy,
    the love,
    the heartache,
    the wonderment
    or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
    I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much,
    before I was a Mom .

  5. Rose Ward says:

    Ann
    Good Morning! Glanced quickly at the blog this A.M. at about 6:45am our time, kinda was taken aback. Wasn’t sure what was the reason for the poem…it’s beautiful. Also kudo’s to DL on last night’s episode. “where’s the sofa?” Typical guys apt. I watched RM then caught the last inning of the Sox game… then watched the RM episode again .
    Karen please accept my condolences on your Mom’s Passing. I lost my Mom in Feb.2005, and I miss the her like hell, but I have alot of happy memories..so she’s still with me.

  6. Ann, I also liked it so much because my mom died not long ago also. I thought, what a lovely tribute to her.
    Thanks for finding that sonnet.
    : )

  7. Beautiful choice! I was twelve when my Mom passed away and poetry helped me through so many difficult days. I hope Karen finds comfort in it as well.
    “For Mom”
    Watching the leaves being carried away in the fingers of a September wind
    I am reminded of the day when you were carried away in God’s embrace – quietly and quickly gone.
    Since then I have grown – physically…emotionally…
    Yet there are times that the little girl in me cries for the day that the birds sang, the leaves were colorful and there was no wind.

  8. Ann, what a beautiful and perfect poem. Thank you for the comfort you’ve given today, and for the days ahead.
    Karen Prokop
    Tucson AZ

  9. Beautiful and this one made me cry! Finally! A poem that made me cry! I must be evolving…;)
    Seriously, though, it’s a beautiful poem. Thanks…:)

  10. Stephanie says:

    Hi Ann, I follow your blog daily, loved your second book. Would you believe my Borders doesn’t carry your first book and can’t order it. That’s what they told me anyway. I’ll try amazon. I’m going to see your husband in Philadelphia tonight. Have no idea what to expect. Have you seen the show? Should be a fun evening with a friend, cheesesteaks & laughter!! Have a great day!

  11. Perfect…..Another perfect pick from our poetry master

  12. Karen: I am so so sorry for your loss.
    Mother and Daughter
    We’re daughter and mother
    Not so long ago.
    We give and take
    And take and give
    Along time’s endless row.
    Love is passed
    And love received
    To be passed on again:
    A precious heirloom
    Twice, twice blessed,
    A spiritual cardigan.
    I’ll put it on
    And treasure it,
    The me I have received,
    And when the roles
    Reverse again,
    I’ll have what I most need.
    So may our love
    Go on and on,
    A hundred thousand years;
    Mothers and daughters,
    Daughters and mothers,
    Through joys and other tears.
    - Anonymous

  13. Guadalupe M Pankratz says:

    To Karen:
    Sorry for your loss.
    To Ann:
    I hope you had as much fun reading it, as I had thinking ‘it’.
    To Alan:
    Where did you go?

  14. Guadalupe M Pankratz says:

    grippe de cochon
    Schwein-Grippe
    influenza de porco
    gripe de cerdos
    influenza suina
    come indicato ?
    On CNN, I think that the announcer (who sounds like she’s got her mouth full of pebbles) is ‘upping’ the level to pandemic. We may be facing a whole pile of ‘doodoo’.
    It is an amazing thing, that this virus crossed species!, that is how much of a ‘survivalist’ they are, the pathogen-ugly-critter. Then again, they are finding ways to UTILIZE their ‘services’ (AKA as VIRUS ability to invade cells, insert themselves in the cell’s DNA, and MAKE it grow their OWN DNA, and spread it around nicely) to cure cancer. One for the other?
    Washing hands, avoiding crowds, as one big cat was killed this morning in the South Bay, not too far from where I go walking (fast).
    what now

  15. I agree Candy – it was a very good episode. Lou is actually my favorite character. Very quick wit. Tommy and Lou are the Carrie and Miranda of Rescue Me. (Sex and the City for those of you not familiar).

  16. Such beautiful words in all of the selections…I too found myself sitting here crying at all of the tenderness and love expressed. Karen, I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my mom in 2005, miss her constantly. May you find comfort in the kind thoughts of all your blog “friends”.

  17. Karen-
    I was sorry to hear of your mom’s passing. I was very close to my mom who passed away when I was 28. It has always seemed that only people in a similar situation can truly understand the emotions and the impact. I hope your days become a little brighter as time passes.

  18. Even though some of your mom’s have passed, I think it is so touching and wonderful to have such a precious relationship. My mom is still here on this earth, probably 20 minutes away – but we have been galaxies apart for many many years. I feel safer away from her than around her so I am not. I often wish that in my next life I get to have a real mom………like everybody else. Be thankful for your treasured memories.

  19. Jane Reedy says:

    This poem is so beautifully written…I could easily feel the writer’s deep emotion of love for her mother. Thanks Ann.
    To Karen, I am so sorry for the loss of your mom. My deepest sympathy to you and to all of the bloggers here who have gone through this sad experience.

  20. Karen, I’m sorry for your loss!
    Thanks Ann for this beautiful poem.

  21. Karen, I am so sorry for your loss….
    That is a beautiful poem, Ann…

  22. Thank you to everyone for the heartfelt posts, which have been so comforting. My mom’s service will be next Thursday, and my dear friend Susan will read the beautiful poem Ann so thoughtfully posted.

  23. Karen, we’ll be thinking about you on Thursday. Take it easy. Ann

Speak Your Mind

*