A Sonnet for Mother’s Day by Christina Rossetti

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

I’ll be busy celebrating Mother’s Day with my ninety-five year old mother, my daughter, and granddaughter–and also with my husband and son-in-law.  Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who frequent this blog! I’m dedicating the following poem to my dear mother.

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A Poem 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.

**********

Christina Rossetti (Academy of American Poets)

25 thoughts on “A Sonnet for Mother’s Day by Christina Rossetti”

  1. raff
    Birthdays that end in zero are always a bit traumatic. At my age, “congratulation on surviving” is more appropriate than happy birthday.

  2. Thanks Elaine and OS and Gene and Blouise. Once you go past 60, birthdays are not as exciting! But they beat the alternative!

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