Heart-a-Tug

"I love you and don't be a stranger' I said as I hugged my daughter good-bye this morning 

after she was home for a two-day visit

 (its a little like trying to picture a flower you've never seen; certain of its loveliness but unable to grasp it)

Dear Daughter,

You won’t ever know how hard

Those heartstrings tug

As we are drawn apart

Or how the words ‘I love you’

Seems too small for worlds

Cradled deep in the heart

 …and you won’t ever understand

The tender depth that shapes

The tear, the year soft-flown

No, you won’t

Ever understand, my dear

Until you have 

a daughter of your own

                                                                       

© Janet Martin

You Are Here...

A few hours of all-together-ness on the weekend sometimes seems to magnify the sharpness of apart-ness...

Melissa popped home for a day to surprise Victoria for her birthday... then she 'flew' away

photo credit; Rob Curry

According to mile-measure, darling

They deem us quite far apart

But, you’re here beneath my ribs, love

Held forever in my heart

Miles may separate our shoulders

From the tender joy of touch

But, I have re-learned how to hold you

So miles won’t hurt quite so much

Oceans are a splash of water

Emotions a dash of tear

Sweetheart, wherever you wander

I know you know, you are here

You are here, beneath my ribs, love

Clasped twixt finger-folded prayer

Never mind mile-measure, darling

You are here while you are there

© Janet Martin

You Are My Poem

 

 ...from a mother to her daughters.

This poem does NOT exclude sons:)

You are my poem

Of laughter and longing

Of having and holding

And slow letting go

You are my poem of

Learning and teaching

Of bowing and reaching

Of lingering…oh!

You are my poem of

Hunger and hurting

And heart overflowing

With more-than-enough

You are my poem

Of precious existence

Wrapped up in one 

little 

word 

called

Love

© Janet Martin

 

A Mother to Daughter Birthday Poem

From one birthday celebration to the next! 

Yesterday's memories are precious(a glimpse at a few with the little ones I babysit and family:)

...today's memories are waiting to be made.

Blessed to be a mother for 24 years!

Dear daughter,

Often I pray that God

Would be with you through the day

And you would sense his Presence

In whatever comes your way

I ask Him to protect you

And to keep you in His care

For wisdom to safeguard you

From deception’s subtle snare

I pray He grants you strength

For tasks that love and life begot

For courage to be faithful

Even when others are not

And oh, that He would bless you

And be present in your home

But sometimes I forget to thank Him

For the woman you’ve become

I forget to thank Him for

The loveliness of you

Your friendly face, your giving ways

Your heart, kind, caring and true

And I forget to thank Him for

Memories of happiness

And how you have made motherhood

A joy words can’t express

…your willingness to lend a hand

Your friendship through the years

And all the things you’ve taught me

Through love’s laughter and its tears

Dear daughter, on this special day

I pray a humble prayer

And thank God for the gift of you

And the special daughter you are

Love always,

Mom

You Make Me Think...Mother to Daughter Poem

You make me think of summer

Sun-sparkle fills your smile

Your eyes hold stars and when you sing

Life’s care pauses a while

You make me think of flowers

Butterflies, gentle rain

Your laughter is a yellow sun

And I am young again

You make me think of hours

Time’s precious, hurried ways

Garners moments and seals them in

Past’s treasure chest of Days

You make me think of living

For the sheer joy of you

Because I know that soon, my dear

You’ll be a woman too

You make me think of praying

And thanking God above

That He saw fit to bless my life

With a daughter to love

© Janet Martin

I think I'll put this one in Victoria's birthday card next week:)

 Our writer's group homework assignment is to write a poem  about a family member, 

so this poem will serve a few purposes!

I cannot believe that another almost-year has passed since this and this!