Ten Great Poems about Mothers

In this world, there is one relationship that is special beyond all others, and that is the bond between Mothers and their children. In line with this, many poets have written poetic tributes to their mothers. Life is complicated, but out of respect, I’m presenting ten of the best positive poems about Mothers. Most are classics but there is a new addition that warrants attention. So here, in no particular order, are ten of the best poems written about our dear Moms.

For more info on this poem and the book THE FIFTH SEASON AND OTHER POEMS please double click the Learn More button.

3. DEAR MOTHER by Emily Dickinson

Dear Mother, your love is a beacon light,
Guiding me through the darkest night.
Your embrace, a sanctuary of peace,
A love that will never cease.

Emily Dickinson wrote almost 1,800 poems. Only a few were published during her lifetime. There were no instructions as to what to do with her poems after her passing. Thankfully, her sister and others worked hard to get her poems published. Surprisingly, I have not been able to find out any more info on this specific poem but, although short, it is very touching. I love it and wonder if it has more stanzas.

4. MOTHER o’ MINE by Rudyard Kipling

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

These 3 lines are the last stanza of this great work by Rudyard Kipling. It is a poem of hope in a world of darkness.

5. MOTHER by Lola Ridge

I see you in gleams
pale as star-light on a gray wall . . .
evanescent as the reflection of a white swan
shimmering in broken water.

Mother is an incredible poem by Lola Ridge. The imagery is magnificent; Above are the last four lines of this incomperable work.

6. SONNETS ARE FULL OF LOVE by Christina Rossetti

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.

This ending of Sonnets Are Full Of Love beautifully emphasizes the strength of Motherly love. The entire sonnet is made up of heartfelt imagery and feelings.

7. MY MOTHER by Ann Taylor

Who sat and watched my infant head
When sleeping on my cradle bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed?
My Mother.

My Mother is a touching, sweet poem. Each stanza finishes with the words “My Mother,” and this almost gives this work a song-type feel. Another wonderful poem about Mothers.

8. ROCK ME TO SLEEP by Elizabeth Chase Akers Allen

Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight,
Make me a child again just for tonight!
Mother, come back from the echoless shore,
Take me again to your heart as of yore;

These sentimental lines showcase the desire of many of us to return to a time when things were simpler and cares were fewer. Elizabeth Chase Akers Allen was a prolific poet but this became her most well known work.

9. MY ANGEL MOTHER by Robert Louis Stevenson

You too, my mother, read my rhymes
For love of unforgotten times,
And you may chance to hear once more
The little feet along the floor.

Another short poem for this list. Short but beautiful. It is different from some of the other poems on this list as it doesn’t spell out a long list of things that a Mother did. Instead, it is a sentimental call to remembrance.

10. ONLY ONE MOTHER by George Cooper

Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of lambs in the sunny weather.

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.

This is a short poem so i present it in its entirety. George Cooper was best known as a lyricist but I do know that this is a special type of poem about Mothers and I do think it stands out as one of the better ones.

There are a few other poems about Mothers that could be in this top ten list, but, as they are recent creations I was not able to include them. However, these ten are definitely among the very best.

I searched for the best poems about the environment or global warming. I only found one that I thought was good but it was a recent poem and so I can’t produce it here. I shouldn’t have been surprised that there were no older ones that I could find as the environment is a more recent topic. Here is one in my style.

THE SACRED GARDEN by Joseph Lombardo

I returned to see
That which had eluded me—
A place of beauty
I'd seen so many times before.

I bounded up its ancient stairs,
Which crumbled all my cares,
But which, alas, could not displace
The timekeeper's game.

The metal gates a dull repose—
A slave to Colossus and all his gods.
But for all its locks and lavish frame,
Still nothing more than a rusted stain.

The grounds within--a sleepy land—
­A vibrant hidden nation,
And so I entered to rest and pray
And to hope for my salvation.

Sweet forgotten times of life's caress.
My canopy of loveliness.
Inside its flower face
I moved but left no trace.

And then nearby, a quiet spot
Where once I sat and dreamt a while.
The water there of crystal blue,
And I would stare a while or two.

Where are the fish of gold this day?
It seemed their time had passed away,
Or was lost somewhere below, I guessed,
Within the pool's fresh murkiness.

Nor were there birds out in the trees,
And I sensed that the dying breeze
Had brought much more than just seeds
Here into the Sacred Garden.

Oh, facade of pompousness
Cannot cover up the mess
Of the radiant blades of those who lied.
From my lips I breathe a sigh.

© 1991 Joseph Lombardo

This poem is also in the book THE FIFTH SEASON AND OTHER POEMS by Joseph Lombardo