26 Mother’s Day Poems That Will Melt Her Heart
Updated: Apr. 29, 2024
Share these moving Mother's Day poems to express just how much Mom means to you
Mother’s Day poems to express your love
Given how much the mothers in our lives have done—and continue to do—for us, it can be difficult to express all of our love, admiration and appreciation in Mother’s Day cards. After all, there is a truly special bond between mothers and their children, and you may need some fresh ideas for what to write. If you’re looking to bring a smile to your mother’s (and mother figures’) face, why not share the art of poetry? These sweet and heartwarming Mother’s Day poems are sure to convey your love.
Like Mom quotes, these Mother’s Day poems will help you put into words just what she means to you. Through famous and heartfelt pieces by some of the most popular poets of all time—from Edgar Allan Poe and Langston Hughes to John Clare and Walt Whitman—you’ll impress your mother while expressing your gratitude and affection.
Ready to make Mom feel cherished on her special day? Add one of these moving poems to the Mother’s Day greeting in your card.
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1. “To My Mother” by Edgar Allan Poe
Because I feel that, in the Heavens above,
The angels, whispering to one another,
Can find, among their burning terms of love,
None so devotional as that of “Mother,”
Therefore by that dear name I long have called you—
You who are more than mother unto me,
And fill my heart of hearts, where Death installed you
In setting my Virginia’s spirit free.
My mother—my own mother, who died early,
Was but the mother of myself; but you
Are mother to the one I loved so dearly,
And thus are dearer than the mother I knew
By that infinity with which my wife
Was dearer to my soul than its soul-life.
A master of mystery and the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe poured his heart into this Mother’s Day poem and dedicated it to his mother-in-law, Maria Poe Clemm. Like these mother-son quotes, he weaves a tapestry of love and longing, immortalizing the bond between a mother and her child. A mother’s love never stops growing!
2. “To My Mother” by Lucretia Maria Davidson
O thou whose care sustained my infant years,
And taught my prattling lip each note of love;
Whose soothing voice breathed comfort to my fears,
And round my brow hope’s brightest garland wove;
To thee my lay is due, the simple song,
Which Nature gave me at life’s opening day;
To thee these rude, these untaught strains belong,
Whose heart indulgent will not spurn my lay.
O say, amid this wilderness of life,
What bosom would have throbbed like thine for me?
Who would have smiled responsive?—who in grief,
Would e’er have felt, and, feeling, grieved like thee?
Who would have guarded, with a falcon-eye,
Each trembling footstep or each sport of fear?
Who would have marked my bosom bounding high,
And clasped me to her heart, with love’s bright tear?
Lucretia Maria Davidson celebrates the boundless love of mothers in this famous poem. An esteemed American poet from the 19th century, Davidson captures the essence of maternal love in her work, reminding us of its unconditional nature.
3. “Delicate Cluster” by Walt Whitman
Delicate cluster! flag of teeming life!
Covering all my lands —all my sea-shores lining!
Flag of death! (how I watch’d you through the smoke of battle pressing!
How I heard you flap and rustle, cloth defiant!)]
Flag cerulean— sunny flag, with the orbs of night dappled!
Ah my silvery beauty— ah my woolly white and crimson! Ah to sing the song of you, my matron mighty!
My sacred one, my mother.
Amid the chaos of the Civil War, Walt Whitman painted a vivid picture of the American flag as a symbol of both life and death. Yet in the final lines of his short poem, he tenderly equates the flag with maternal love, making the offering a poignant Mother’s Day tribute for your mom’s special day.
4. “Rock Me to Sleep” by Elizabeth Akers Allen
Over my heart, in the days that are flown,
No love like mother-love ever has shone;
No other worship abides and endures,—
Faithful, unselfish, and patient like yours:
None like a mother can charm away pain
From the sick soul and the world-weary brain.
Slumber’s soft calms o’er my heavy lids creep;—
Rock me to sleep, mother, — rock me to sleep!
Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!
I am so weary of toil and of tears,—
Toil without recompense, tears all in vain,—
Take them, and give me my childhood again!
I have grown weary of dust and decay,—
Weary of flinging my soul-wealth away;
Weary of sowing for others to reap;—
Rock me to sleep, mother — rock me to sleep!
Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,
Mother, O mother, my heart calls for you!
Many a summer the grass has grown green,
Blossomed and faded, our faces between:
Yet, with strong yearning and passionate pain,
Long I tonight for your presence again.
Come from the silence so long and so deep;—
Rock me to sleep, mother, — rock me to sleep!
Can you feel the ache of longing in this poem about motherhood? Penned by poet and journalist Elizabeth Akers Allen, this Mother’s Day poem shows readers a woman seeking solace in the memory of her beloved mother. As the full poem unfolds, the undeniable love of a mother shines through, comforting us with its timeless warmth.
5. “Home” by Carl Sandburg
Here is a thing my heart wishes the world had more of:
I heard it in the air of one night when I listened
To a mother singing softly to a child restless and angry in the darkness.
If you’re searching for short Mother’s Day poems, don’t overlook these verses by Carl Sandburg, a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner. In this inspirational poem, he whisks readers away with a simple question: Is mom synonymous with home? In this brief yet touching poem, Sandburg invites us to reminisce about the comforting lullabies and tender moments shared with our mothers, reminding us that no matter where life takes us, Mom will always be our haven.
6. “To My 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.
Robert Louis Stevenson is the author of some of the most famous books of all time, including Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Despite his knack for thrilling or twisted tales, Stevenson reveals his softer side in this heartfelt poem, where he tenderly pens a simple yet profound homage to maternal love.
7. “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.
Looking for the perfect Mother’s Day sentiment? Christina Rossetti’s sonnet is a gem to share with your mom, celebrating the nurturing bond between mother and daughter. Through Rossetti’s words, we glimpse the pure and enduring love that shapes and sustains us, passed down from mother to child through generations.
8. “Mother” by Lola Ridge
Your love was like moonlight
turning harsh things to beauty,
so that little wry souls
reflecting each other obliquely
as in cracked mirrors . . .
beheld in your luminous spirit
their own reflection,
transfigured as in a shining stream,
and loved you for what they are not.
You are less an image in my mind
than a luster
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.
With this free verse poem, trailblazing editor and poet Lola Ridge invites us into a world where maternal love transcends boundaries. Through her luminous verses, Ridge paints a portrait of maternal guidance as a beacon of hope for peace and self-discovery.
9. “A Mother’s Name” by Eric Mackay
I.
I love the sound! The sweetest under Heaven,
That name of mother, — and the proudest, too.
As babes we breathe it, and with seven times seven
Of youthful prayers, and blessings that accrue,
We still repeat the word, with tender steven.
Dearest of friends! dear mother! what we do
This side the grave, in purity of aim,
Is glorified at last by thy good name.
II.
But how forlorn the word, how full of woe,
When she who bears it lies beneath the clod.
In vain the orphan child would call her so, –
She comes not back: her place is up with God.
The wintry winds are wailing o’er the snow;
The flowers are dead that once did grace the sod.
Ah, lose not heart! Some flowers may fade in gloom,
But Hope’s a plant grows brightest on the tomb!
Add a touch of poetic elegance to your Mother’s Day celebration with a verse from Eric Mackay, a lesser-known but no less talented poet. Though perhaps not as widely recognized as his half-sister’s (the famous novelist Marie Corelli), Mackay’s words resonate with the timeless sentiment of gratitude and love for the maternal figure in our lives.
10. “Black Woman” by Georgia Douglas Johnson
Don’t knock at my door, little child,
I cannot let you in,
You know not what a world this is
Of cruelty and sin.
Wait in the still eternity
Until I come to you,
The world is cruel, cruel, child,
I cannot let you in!
Don’t knock at my heart, little one,
I cannot bear the pain
Of turning deaf-ear to your call
Time and time again!
You do not know the monster men
Inhabiting the earth,
Be still, be still, my precious child,
I must not give you birth!
Georgia Douglas Johnson was a voice for Black women and social justice. Through her stirring poetry, including this Mother’s Day poem, she sheds light on the fears and hopes of mothers everywhere, particularly those navigating the challenges of race and gender in an unjust society. She’s one of the many Black poets who brought the realities of race and racism into their work.
11. “To My Mother” by Christina Rossetti
To-day’s your natal day;
Sweet flowers I bring:
Mother, accept, I pray
My offering.
And may you happy live,
And long us bless;
Receiving as you give
Great happiness.
Here’s another heartfelt Mother’s Day poem from Christina Rossetti. With delicate imagery and comforting mother-daughter sentiments, it’s a beautiful way to express gratitude and love for the woman who means the world to you.
12. “Mother o’ Mine” by Rudyard Kipling
If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!
If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!
If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!
Explore the profound bond between mother and child through the verses of Rudyard Kipling. Much like a funeral poem, “Mother o’ Mine” keeps its eye on the afterlife, eloquently capturing the enduring nature of a mother’s love. It reassures us that, even beyond the veil of death, her love remains a guiding light.
13. “To My Mother” by John Clare
With filial duty I address thee, Mother,
Thou dearest tie which this world’s wealth possesses;
Endearing name! no language owns another
That half the tenderness and love expresses;
The very word itself breathes the affection,
Which heaves the bosom of a luckless child
To thank thee, for that care and that protection,
Which once, where fortune frowns, so sweetly smil’d.
Ah, oft fond memory leaves its pillow’d anguish,
To think when in thy arms my sleep was sound;
And now my startled tear oft views thee languish,
And fain would drop its honey in the wound:
But I am doom’d the sad reverse to see,
Where the worst pain I feel, is loss of helping thee.
Treat your mom to a special Mother’s Day poem penned by the English poet John Clare. With his lyrical prose, you’ll transport your mother to a world of beauty and warmth, making her feel cherished and loved.
14. “Wanderer’s Song” by Langston Hughes
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare;
But all the time
I’se been a’climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark,
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back;
Don’t you sit down on the steps,
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard;
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
Langston Hughes was a towering figure of the Harlem Renaissance and penned this poem as a letter from a mother to her son. Through Hughes’ evocative imagery and soul-stirring verses, you’ll feel the depth of a mother’s love and wisdom resonating through the ages.
15. “Mother Dear” by Claude McKay
“Husban’, I am goin’—
Though de brooklet is a-flowin’,
An’ de coolin’ breeze is blowin’
Softly by;
Hark, how strange de cow is mooin’,
An’ our Jennie’s pigeons cooin’,
While I feel de water growin’,
Climbing high.
“Akee trees are laden,
But de yellow leaves are fadin’
Like a young an’ bloomin’ maiden
Fallen low;
In de pond de ducks are wadin’
While my body longs for Eden,
An’ my weary breat’ is gledin
’Way from you.
“See dem John-crows flyin’!
’Tis a sign dat I am dyin’;
Oh, I’m wishful to be lyin’
All alone:
fait’ful husban’, don’t go cryin’,
Life is one long self-denyin’
All-surrenderin’ an’ sighin’
Livin’ moan.”
Born in Sunny Ville, Jamaica in 1889, Festus Claudius McKay was a Jamaican poet whose work echoed the rhythms of life and the struggles of his time. From celebrating the simple joys of peasant life to protesting against racial injustice, McKay’s poetry is a testament to resilience and the human spirit. You can read your mom the full poem, but do so aloud to fully appreciate the musicality of McKay’s verses.
16. “Gift” by Hilda Conkling
This is mint and here are three pinks
I have brought you, Mother.
They are wet with rain
And shining with it.
The pinks smell like more of them
In a blue vase:
The mint smells like summer
In many gardens.
Hilda Conkling’s enchanting “Gift” made its debut in her very first collection, Poems by a Little Girl, which she published when she was between 7 and 9 years old. One of the shorter Mother’s Day poems, “Gift” is a prime example of childlike wonder and innocence.
17. “Plácido’s Farewell to His Mother” by Gabriel de la Concepción Valdés
If the unfortunate fate engulfing me,
The ending of my history of grief,
The closing of my span of years so brief,
Mother, should wake a single pang in thee,
Weep not. No saddening thought to me devote;
I calmly go to a death that is glory-filled,
My lyre before it is forever stilled
Breathes out to thee its last and dying note.
A note scarce more than a burden-easing sigh,
Tender and sacred, innocent, sincere—
Spontaneous and instinctive as the cry
I gave at birth—And now the hour is here—
O God, thy mantle of mercy o’er my sins!
Mother, farewell! The pilgrimage begins.
Translated by James Weldon Johnson
Searching for more poems and books by Hispanic authors? “Plácido’s Farewell to His Mother” graced the pages of Valdés’ 1856 poetry collection under its Spanish title, “Despedida a mi madre.” While often read and translated as a tender farewell from a son to his grieving mother, the poem has a darker origin story: Valdés, who published under the pen name Plácido, wrote the poem shortly before he was executed for allegedly participating in La Conspiración de la Escalera, a suspected slave revolt in Spanish Cuba.
18. “Mother” by Luis G. Dato
When evenings cast pale shadows on the earth,
And silence, like a vast mysterious ghost,
Stifles the land and sea from hill to coast,
And buries all that tropic suns gave birth,
When by myself I pace the darkened shore,
And think of this unhappy lot of mine,
The pain and grief the fates to me assign,
I sigh for you, O mother I adore!
That I could seek your bosom as of old,
And, nestling there, bare secrets that oppress,
Accuse these that my love would disposses,
Whose hearts to cold desires and base are sold!
O mother dear! When death relieves our sighs,
Shall we in heaven, meet, in Paradise?
Poet, educator and journalist Luis G. Dato was one of the earliest Filipino writers to embrace English in their works. Alongside his brother, Rodolfo, he made contributions to Filipino literature and academia that resonate to this day.
19. “Granny” by James Whitcomb Riley
Granny’s come to our house,
And ho! my lawzy-daisy!
All the childern round the place
Is ist a-runnin’ crazy!
Fetched a cake fer little Jake,
And fetched a pie fer Nanny,
And fetched a pear fer all the pack
That runs to kiss their Granny!
Lucy Ellen’s in her lap,
And Wade and Silas Walker
Both’s a-ridin’ on her foot,
And ’Pollos on the rocker;
And Marthy’s twins, from Aunt Marinn’s,
And little Orphant Annie,
All’s a-eatin’ gingerbread
And giggle-un at Granny!
Tells us all the fairy tales
Ever thought er wundered—
And ’bundance o’ other stories—
Bet she knows a hunderd!—
Bob’s the one fer “Whittington,”
And “Golden Locks” fer Fanny!
Hear ’em laugh and clap their hands,
Listenin’ at Granny!
Affectionately known as the “Hoosier Poet,” James Whitcomb Riley was celebrated for his children’s poetry. But this funny poem isn’t for the little ones—grandmothers will no doubt get a chuckle from the picture it paints. “Granny” has a timeless warmth that makes it a perfect addition to any collection of Mother’s Day poems.
20. “Mary, Mother of Christ” by Countee Cullen
That night she felt those searching hands
Grip deep upon her breast,
She laughed and sang a silly tune
To lull her babe to rest;
That night she kissed his coral lips
How could she know the rest?
Countee Cullen was a poetic prodigy who began weaving verses at the tender age of 14. Born Countee LeRoy Porter, Cullen’s journey from high school student to renowned poet is a testament to the transformative power of words and imagination. Here, he celebrates one of the most famous mothers: Jesus’ mother, Mary.
21. “Gitanjali 83″ by Rabindranath Tagore
Mother, I shall weave a chain of pearls for thy neck with my tears of sorrow.
The stars have wrought their anklets of light to deck thy feet, but mine will hang upon thy breast.
Wealth and fame come from thee and it is for thee to give or to withhold them. But this my sorrow is absolutely mine own, and when I bring it to thee as my offering thou rewardest me with thy grace.
Rabindranath Tagore, a remarkable polymath hailing from Bengal in India, left an indelible legacy across various fields during the Bengal Renaissance. His influence extended from literature to music and even Indian art, ushering in a new era with his unique perspective of Contextual Modernism. In 1913, his literary contributions were honored with the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature.
22. “For My Grandmother” by Countee Cullen
This lovely flower fell to seed;
Work gently, sun and rain;
She held it as her dying creed
That she would grow again.
23. “A Mother to the War-Makers” by Margaret Widdemer
This is my son that you have taken,
Guard lest your gold-vault walls be shaken,
Never again to speak or waken.
This, that I gave my life to make,
This you have bidden the vultures break—
Dead for your selfish quarrel’s sake!
This that I built all of my years,
Made with my strength and love and tears,
Dead for pride of your shining spears!
Just for your playthings bought and sold
You have crushed to a heap of mold
Youth and life worth a whole world’s gold—
This was my son, that you have taken,
Guard lest your gold-vault walls be shaken—
This—that shall never speak or waken!
24. “The Mother” by Jean Blewett
As “Peace on earth!” the glad world sings one glorious Christmas morn,
“Peace, peace on earth! Good-will to men! Peace, peace! the Christ is born!”
As through the courts, the wondrous courts, of heaven hosannas ring,
As harpers strike their harps of gold and “Glory! Glory!” sing,
Upon the City’s threshold fair
A woman steps, and lingers there.
The eyes she turns on Peter’s face with unshed tears are dim,
“Tell Christ,” she says, “a mother waits who fain would speak with Him.”
Through all the music, far above the highest, grandest note
Of triumph, and of joy and praise, her soft voice seems to float;
And hearing it, straight from His throne
Comes down to her the Kingly One
With shining face and eyes that hold
Such wealth of love and peace,
She feels her trembling heart grow bold,
Her doubt and grieving cease.
“Dear Lord!” she cries, and lowly kneels, “I have a prayer to make;
O do Thou hear and answer it for Thine own mercy’s sake,
Since heaven will not seem fair to me
If one dear face I may not see.
“Dear Christ, a mother’s love is great
To shield, to guide, to watch, to wait.
The last kiss that I gave on earth was to my wayward son,
Whose soul, though deeply stained by sin, may yet by love be won
To penitence, to higher walk, to purer, holier way;
O wilt Thou let me to go to him and guard him night and day?
A Canadian talent known for her prowess in journalism, literature and poetry, Jean Blewett wrote under the pseudonym Katherine Kent. (An interesting tidbit: She’s related to the illustrious Gaelic poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre through her mother.) In this poem, Blewett conjures the image of a mother so concerned for her son that she begs to guard him in the afterlife. It’s a testament to a mother’s enduring love, even when we don’t feel worthy of it.
25. “She Walks in Beauty” by George Gordon Byron
I.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
II.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.
III.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
Transport yourself back to 1814 with this timeless love poem, a fitting tribute to mothers on their special day. George Gordon Byron (better known as Lord Byron) was inspired by the timeless beauty of Anne Beatrix Wilmot, his cousin’s wife, and penned these verses about her. Though not written for a mother, the poem celebrates a woman’s enduring grace and elegance, making it a worthy choice among Mother’s Day poems.
26. “The Defenition of Love” by Andrew Marvell
My Love is of a birth as rare
As ’tis for object strange and high:
It was begotten by despair Upon Impossibility.
Magnanimous Despair
alone Could show me so divine a thing,
Where feeble Hope could ne’r have flown
But vainly flapt its Tinsel Wing.
And yet I quickly might arrive
Where my extended Soul is fixt,
But Fate does Iron wedges drive,
And alwaies crowds it self betwixt.
English poet Andrew Marvell was a prominent figure during the Restoration, sitting in the House of Commons between 1659 and 1678. Though his poetic aptitude shines for modern readers, his collection of works, Miscellaneous Poems, wasn’t published until 1681, three years after his death. “The Definition of Love” appeared in that book—and it’s worth reading the full poem.
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Originally Published: April 28, 2022
