Celebrating Mom

Carolyn Naught Saxton / 1920 - 1980

When I was a little girl, my mother was “my world”.

She did all the things you’d expect a Mom might do, like hold your hand, read you a story, fix meals, teach manners, dry tears, cheer you up and on.

As I grew, I saw that she loved to give. And that she loved to laugh. She loved people and loved life, and tried to worry only on Tuesdays.

Lucky for us, she also happened to be an accomplished poet. Her works appeared in anthologies as early as her teens, and her last, perhaps greatest work, was the collection of sonnets published in her book The Pine and The Power.

My mother left the world much, much too soon ~ but she left gifts. Treasured, timeless words; gifts from the heart, mind and spirit.

So on this day reserved for mothers, I’d like to share some of those words. I share them, as I did last year, in honor and life-giving celebration of mothers near and far, here or remembered. Happy Mother’s Day!

…………………………..

God help our children to transcend the dark

And walk the earth with dignity and cheer;

God help them seek the mountains, persevere

The road that twists through thorn and tanglebark,

Ascending finally where eagles mark

Their point of vision. Help our children find

Two masters ~ one the spirit, one the mind ~

And rediscover constancy of heart.

Help us to find cathedrals in the skies,

A will to walk the long uncharted mile;

(The will to find in winter’s legacy

The ochre sands from which the lime trees rise!)

Help us to know the measure of the child ~

To live in time and in eternity.

© Carolyn Naught Saxton

…………………………..


Patricia Saxton

8 Comments
  • Rand

    May 8, 2011 at 3:01 pm Reply

    Now I love your mom too. Thank you.

    (Geez and I wrote about squirrels today. Sheesh, I’m so ashamed.)

    • saxtonstudio

      May 9, 2011 at 8:27 am Reply

      She was easy to love! And don’t worry, squirrels have Mom’s too; it’s okay Rand.

  • Debbie

    May 8, 2011 at 1:01 pm Reply

    Nice job Patsy. May you feel the spirit of your mom with you all day today. Much love. (Remembering the mother’s day that you and Carolyn came to Long Island with me!)

  • Dorothy Hagins

    May 8, 2011 at 10:16 am Reply

    and you follow her example with words that move and inspire and by being a mother that will leave her mark on a beautiful, thinking sensitive human, your daughter, Carolyn!!

  • TwoSpecialWires

    May 8, 2011 at 10:12 am Reply

    A lovely post. A lovely tribute. A lovely woman. From a lovely daughter (and cousin!)
    xx
    Sally (sneaking in on Jake and Fergi’s blog)

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