With the process of gift-picking being so expensive and annoying, Mother’s Day poems come to the rescue. They allow us to shower our mothers with a heart-warming combination of words from the English dictionary. A poem for Mom is a brilliant way of showing how much you love and value her. But what makes a Mother’s Day poem special is the meaning behind them and the telling of them.
A poem for Mother’s Day is only as powerful as our feelings. After all, they are usually said to a mother — so good feelings are a no-ask thing. Also, poems for Mother’s Day vary in the messages they send. Some focus more on the work that a mother did while a person was growing up. Others focus more on the support they have shown throughout the years.
If you are looking for poems about Mother’s Day to share with your mom — you are in luck. Below, we compiled a list of the best poems to tell your mother on May 1st or any other day. Be sure to leave an upvote on the verses that you found impactful and cheerful. On the other hand, if you have a poem of your own — share it in the comments below.
This post may include affiliate links.
"Sunshine" by Anon
My Mother, my friend so dear,
Throughout my life you're always near.
A tender smile to guide my way,
You're the sunshine to light my day.
"Month of May" by Anon
For all the diapers
that you changed,
For all the play dates
you arranged.
For all the trips
back and forth to school,
For cleaning all the spit up
and the drool.
Why is there only
one Mother's Day?
You should have at least gotten
the ENTIRE month of May!
"Short Mother's Day Poem" by Anon
For all you do,
you do with love.
You are so special,
A gift from above.
And with all my heart,
I want to say,
I love you Mom.
Happy Mother's Day.
"Fingerprints!"
Dirt and cookie fingerprints
are not too hard to find,
You'll see them on our walls and drawers,
Where I go, they're left behind!
But soon I'll learn to wash my hands,
And tuck them by my side,
The walls and drawers clean once more,
No grubby marks to hide.
So here I leave my fingerprints,
Each and every one,
Painted as a reminder,
Of dirt, and cookies, and fun!
"Put Up With Me" by Holly Giffers
I'm glad that you're my mother,
Kind and caring and strong.
Coz surely no-one else,
Could have put up with me this long!
“If there are any heavens” by E.E. Cummings
If there are any heavens my mother will (all by herself) have
One. It will not be a pansy heaven nor,
A fragile heaven of lilies-of-the-valley but,
It will be a heaven of blackred roses.
“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.
Oh Mother's Day, a time for cheer To show your love for one so dear So warm her heart with words that rhyme And make her feel special all the time "To My Mother," a poem so sweet A declaration of love so neat For you who are more than a mother A cherished companion like no other Let angels whisper in awe and wonder Of love so pure, like distant thunder For no devotion can quite compare To a mother's love so true and rare So let your heart be filled with joy As you celebrate your mother, oh boy! And let your words be filled with love As you thank her for all she's done.
"Wonderful Mother" by Anon
The heart of a home is a mother
Whose love is warm and true,
And home has always been "sweet home"
With a wonderful mother like you!
Thank You, Mother by Anon
Once upon a memory
Someone wiped away a tear
Held me close and loved me,
Thank you, Mother dear.
"Mother..." by Anon
You filled my days with rainbow lights,
Fairytales and sweet dream nights,
A kiss to wipe away my tears,
Gingerbread to ease my fears.
You gave the gift of life to me
And then in love, you set me free.
I thank you for your tender care,
For deep warm hugs and being there.
I hope that when you think of me
A part of you
You'll always see.
"Mommy, I love you" by Nicholas Gordon
Mommy, I love you
For all that you do.
I'll kiss you and hug you
'Cause you love me, too.
You feed me and need me
To teach you to play,
So smile 'cause I love you
On this Mother's Day.
"Flowers"
I've made some Mother's Day flowers,
With my fingers and my thumb,
So you'll always have these memories,
For all the years to come.
"Cup of Tea for Mom"
I will try my best in every way,
To be extra sweet on Mother's Day.
But if you become upset with me,
Please relax and have a cup of tea!
"Special Bond"
Mothers and Daughters
They always share a special bond
Though near or far apart
The words that would describe it
Are written on the heart.
"Short Mother's Day Poem" by Anon
There is no doubt Mom,
you're the best.
The one and only.
I'm proud to be your son.
And I'd like to thank you for
the loving things you've done.
"My Handprint" by Anon
Here is my handprint,
Five fingers in all,
Outside they are short,
But the middle is tall.
You will find them on windows,
You can find them on the wall,
They will make a big mess,
For something so small.
One day I will grow,
And leave them no more,
My handprints will be missed,
Of that I am sure.
So here is one now,
That you can't wipe away,
My present to you,
This Mother's Day.
"Please and Thanks" by Anon
You taught me how to wash my face
And how to use the potty.
You made me eat up all my greens
And wiped my nose when snotty.
You taught me to say Please and Thanks,
Because politeness is the way,
So 'Please' can I borrow some money?
Thanks!
Just kidding. Happy Mother's Day!
"Poem to Go With a Child's Handprint" by Anon
You wash my prints from walls and doors,
For I am not careful where I play.
But here is a print you'll want to keep...
It's made for you this Mother's Day!
"From the Cat" by Anon
I thank you for the food you bring,
and for my little squeaky thing.
I thank you for your friendly talks,
and when you change my litter box.
I thank you for the naps we share,
and putting up with tufts of hair.
I thank you for these things you do,
but thank you most for being you.
So as I'm sat upon the mat,
Happy Mothers Day from me the cat!
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her.
“Delicate Cluster” by Walt Whitman
Ah to sing the song of you, my matron mighty!
My sacred one, my mother.
“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.
“Mother” by Madison Julius Cawein
Yes, I am going home once more,
And mother’ll meet me at the door
With smiles that rainbow tears of joy,
And arms that reach out for her boy,
And draw him to her happy breast,
On which awhile his head he’ll rest,
And care no more, if rich or poor,
At home with her, at home once more.
"Mother" by Nikita Gill
The water of her womb, your first home
The body she pulled apart to welcome you to the world.
The spirit in you she helped grow with all she knew.
The heart that she gave you when yours fell apart.
You are her soft miracle.
So she gave you her eyes to see the best in the worst.
You carry your mother in your eyes.
Make her proud of all she watches you do.
"I Will Have to Wait Until I'm a Mother" by Rupi Kaur
I struggle so deeply,
to understand,
how someone can,
pour their entire soul,
blood and energy,
into someone,
without wanting,
anything in,
return.
"A Mother's Love" by Anon
Of all the special joys in life,
The big ones and the small,
A mother's love and tenderness
Is the greatest of them all.
"Blessing" by Anon
There is no blessing
Quite so dear...
As a mom like you
To love year after year.
"A Wish for You" by Anon
Just one little wish for you, Mom,
But it's loving and happy and true -
It's a wish that the nicest and best things
Will always keep coming to you!
Wishing You a Wonderful Day by Anon
Sending this, Mom,
Especially to say
Wishing you a happy
And wonderful day...
And to tell you this day
Will always be one
For remembering the many
Sweet things you have done!
Wonderful Mother by Pat O'Reilly
God made a wonderful mother,
A mother who never grows old;
He made her smile of the sunshine,
And He molded her heart of pure gold;
In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,
In her cheeks fair roses you see;
God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to me.
"Relax, Mom" by Anon
As a mom you are number one
A parent who is second to none
On Mother's Day, chores you should shun
For it is time for relaxation and fun
Even if at the end of the day nothing gets done
Just remember we will still love you a ton!
"Nobel Prize for Mothers" by Anon
Mom you are a shining star
Though the world doesn't know your name.
You have no fancy title
Like Baroness or Dame.
Mom you really are a star,
My mother, mentor and friend.
A Nobel Prize for motherhood,
Is what I'd recommend!
And if I won the lottery
I'd share my win with you
I'd take you Mom on a spending spree
Each day the whole year through!
You may not be famous,
As your face is known to few.
But Mom I think you are wonderful
And I'm so proud of you!
"Mother" by Sarah Malin
Your arms were always open
when I needed a hug.
Your heart understood
when I needed a friend.
Your gentle eyes were stern
when I needed a lesson.
Your strength and love has guided me
and gave me wings to fly.
"A mother" by Christy Ann Martine
A mother wraps
her love around the heart
of her daughter,
keeping each beat steady
through the rhythm of life,
until wings take shape,
and it's time for the soul
to take flight.
"Mother & Daughter"
It's a special bond that spans the years,
through laughter, worry, smiles, and tears.
A sense of trust that can't be broken,
a depth of love sometimes unspoken.
A lifelong friendship built on sharing,
hugs and kisses, warmth and caring.
Mother and daughter, their hearts as one -
a link that can never be undone.
"Please, and Thanks!"
You taught me to say "Please" and "Thanks",
because politeness is the way.
So, "please" can I borrow some money?
"Thanks"!
Just kidding!
Happy Mother's Day!
"Roses are Red, Windex is Blue" by Anon
Roses are red,
Windex is blue.
Thanks for keeping everything clean,
I really appreciate it.
"Motherhood" by Helen Steiner Rice
The dearest gifts that heaven holds,
The very finest, too,
Were made into one pattern
That was perfect, sweet, and true;
The Angels smiled, well-pleased, and said:
"Compared to all the others,
This pattern is so wonderful
Let's use it just for Mothers!"
And through the years a mother has been
All that's sweet and good
For there's one bit of God and love,
In all true Motherhood.
"To My Mother"
For all the times you gently picked me up,
When I fell down,
For all the times you tied my shoes
And tucked me into bed,
Or needed something
But put me first instead.
For everything we shared,
The dreams, the laughter,
And the tears,
I love you with a "Special Love"
That deepens every year.
"A Mother's Love"
There are times when only a Mother's love
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints
And calm all of our fears.
There are times when only a Mother's love
Can share the joy we feel,
When something we've dreamed about
Quite suddenly is real.
There are times when only a Mother's faith
Can help us on life's way,
And inspire in us the confidence
We need from day to day.
For a Mother's heart and a Mother's faith
And a Mother's steadfast love,
Were fashioned by the Angels
And sent from God above.
"Mother"
We had a wonderful mother,
One who never really grew old;
Her smile was made of sunshine,
And her heart was solid gold;
Her eyes were as bright as shining stars,
And in her cheeks fair roses you see.
We had a wonderful mother,
And that's the way it will always be.
But take heed, because
She's still keeping an eye on all of us,
So let's make sure
She will like what she sees.
"If Roses Grow in Heaven" by Dolores M. Garcia
If roses grow in heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother's arms
and tell her they're from me.
Tell her I love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for awhile
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
but there's an ache within my heart
that will never go away.
"You Were There"
You were there when we took our first steps,
And went unsteadily across the floor.
You pushed and prodded: encouraged and guided,
Until our steps took us out the door...
You worry now "Are they ok?"
Is there more you could have done?
As we walk the paths of our unknown
You wonder "Where have my children gone?"
Where we are is where you have led us,
With your special love you showed us a way,
To believe in ourselves and the decisions we make.
Taking on the challenge of life day-to-day.
And where we go you can be sure,
In spirit you shall never be alone.
For where you are is what matters most to us,
Because to us that will always be home...
“My Mother Would Be a Falconress” by Robert Duncan
My mother would be a falconress,
and I her gerfalcon raised at her will,
from her wrist sent flying, as if I were her own
pride, as if her pride
knew no limits, as if her mind
sought in me flight beyond the horizon.
“Prayer for a New Mother” by Dorothy Parker
Let her have laughter with her little one;
Teach her the endless, tuneless songs to sing,
Grant her her right to whisper to her son
The foolish names one dare not call a king.
“Butterfly Laughter” by Katherine Mansfield
In the middle of our porridge plates
There was a blue butterfly painted,
And each morning we tried who should reach the
butterfly first.
Then the Grandmother said, “Do not eat the poor
butterfly.”
That made us laugh.
Always she said it and always it started us laughing.
It seemed such a sweet little joke.
I was certain that one fine morning
The butterfly would fly out of the plates,
Laughing the teeniest laugh in the world,
And perch on grandmother’s lap.
“Mama Never Forgets Her Birds”
Mama never forgets her birds,
Though in another tree —
She looks down just as often
And just as tenderly
As when her little mortal nest
With cunning care she wove —
If either of her “sparrows fall,”
She “notices,” above.
“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?
“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!
“The Mother of a Poet” by Sara Teasdale
She is too kind, I think, for mortal things,
Too gentle for the gusty ways of earth;
God gave to her a shy and silver mirth,
And made her soul as clear
And softly singing as an orchard spring’s
In sheltered hollows all the sunny year,
A spring that thru the leaning grass looks up
And holds all heaven in its clarid cup,
Mirror to holy meadows high and blue
With stars like drops of dew.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“The Reading Mother” by Strickland Gillilan
I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Celert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.
I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such.
You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be —
I had a Mother who read to me.
“Mother’s Way” by Abram Joseph Ryan
If our home be bright and cheery,
If it holds a welcome true,
Opening wide its door of greeting
To the many — not the few;
If we share our father’s bounty
With the needy day by day,
‘Tis because our hearts remember
This was ever mother’s way.
“The Mother’s Kiss” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Life grew so radiant and so opulent,
That when her fragile body and her brain
By mortal throes of agony were rent,
She felt a curious rapture in her pain.
Then, after anguish, came the supreme bliss —
They brought the little baby for her kiss.
“Wanderer’s Song” by Meng Jiao
The thread in the hand of a kind mother
Is the coat on the wanderer’s back.
Before he left she stitched it close
In secret fear that he would be slow to return.
Who will say that the inch of grass in his heart
Is gratitude enough for all the sunshine of spring?
“My Mother” by Ann Taylor
Who sat and watch’d my infant head
When sleeping on my cradle bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed?
My Mother.
When pain and sickness made me cry,
Who gaz’d upon my heavy eye,
And wept for fear that I should die?
My Mother.
Who drest my doll in clothes so gay,
And taught me pretty how to play,
And minded all I’d got to say?
My Mother.
Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My Mother.
“When God Thought of Mother” by Henry Ward Beecher
When God thought of mother,
He must have laughed with satisfaction,
and framed it quickly —
so rich, so deep, so divine,
so full of soul, power, and beauty,
was the conception.
“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!
“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.
“Tribute to Mother” by John Greenleaf Whittier
A picture memory brings to me;
I look across the years and see
Myself beside my mother's knee.
I feel her gentle hand restrain
My selfish moods, and know again
A child's blind sense of wrong and pain.
But wiser now,
a man gray grown,
My childhood's needs are better known.
My mother's chastening love I own.
“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.
"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.
"Everything Mom" by Joanna Fuchs
How did you find the energy, Mom
To do all the things you did,
To be teacher, nurse and counselor
To me, when I was a kid.
How did you do it all, Mom
Be a chauffeur, cook and friend?
Yet find time to be a playmate,
I just can’t comprehend.
I see now it was love, Mom
That made you come whenever I’d call,
Your inexhaustible love, Mom
And I thank you for it all.
"My Heart" by Sharlynn N. Manning
She's always been there for me.
Just talking to her can make me happy.
She tells me of the hard times she's been through
In hopes that I won't go through them, too.
She's an independent woman of stature and grace.
She has beautiful eyes and a lovely face,
An audacious strength from deep inside.
In her I know I can confide.
She's my guardian angel who'll always be
A very special part of me.
She takes pride in caring for her kin.
She gives us hope and things to believe in.
If I didn't have her there for me,
I wouldn't be half the woman I turned out to be.
"What 'Mother' Means" by Karl Fuchs
"Mother" is such a simple word,
But to me there’s meaning seldom heard.
For everything I am today,
My mother’s love showed me the way.
I’ll love my mother all my days,
For enriching my life in so many ways.
She set me straight and then set me free,
And that’s what the word "mother" means to me.
"M - O - T - H - E - R" by Howard Johnson
“M” is for the million things she gave me,
“O” means only that she’s growing old,
“T” is for the tears she shed to save me,
“H” is for her heart of purest gold,
“E” is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
“R” means right, and right she’ll always be,
Put them all together, they spell “MOTHER,”
A word that means the world to me.
"A Thank You Note" by Lang Leav
You have told me
All the things
I need to hear
Before I knew
I needed to hear them
To be unafraid
Of all the things
I used to fear,
Before I knew
I shouldn’t fear them.
"Mother" by Jodi L. Landes
A mother loves right from the start,
No matter if her children are near or far apart.
A mother gives never-ending love.
She gives us comfort and peace like a beautiful dove.
For us she will always do her best,
Even when we put her patience to the test.
She wipes our tears,
Chases away our fears,
Encourages us to follow a dream,
No matter how far fetched it may seem.
Her gifts can never compare to any other.
I am so honored to call her my mother.
Looking back on another year,
I was so lucky to have a mother so dear.
So Mom, on your special day, relax and enjoy
And always know that I couldn't have asked for any other
More incredible person to call my mother.
"If I Knew As a Child" by Renee Duvall
If I knew as a child what I know now, Mom,
I probably wouldn't have made things
so hard for you.
I would have understood
that you were looking out for my best interest,
even though it may not have seemed so at the time.
I would have known how difficult it is to let go,
to stand back and let someone you love
learn from their mistakes.
I would have realized
how fortunate I was to have a mother
who was always there for me,
even after an argument,
even after I'd said things
I shouldn't have.
While it's too late for a lot of things
it's not too late for me to tell you
that I appreciate how loving you are,
how giving you've always been
and that even though
I may not always be good at showing it,
I love you very much.
"Dear Mother" by Herman Vymislicky
I'm writing you to tell you that I love you
Something I hardly ever do.
I never tell you enough how much I love you and
It's something I must do.
I need to let you know mother how much
You really mean to me
So I'm telling you now you mean the world to me.
I need to thank you for all you do for me.
Your unconditional love toward me means a lot to me.
You've never turned your back on me and
I know it's something you'll never do.
Anytime I need someone to talk to
You're always there to help me through
And anytime I need a favor you always seem
To be there, too
There's nothing in this world that I could do
To pay you back for all you do.
When God gave me to you,
That's the best thing he could ever do,
So this poem is dedicated to you
Because I don't know how else to say
Thank You.
Years ago I gave my mom a gift with this engraving, but i can't recall the author (edit: sorry about the formatting/punctuation) If I could give you diamonds for each tear you cried for me. If I could give you sapphires for each truth you’ve helped me see. If I could give you rubies for the heartache that you’ve known. If I could give you pearls for the wisdom that you’ve shown. Then you’ll have a treasure, mother, that would mount up to the skies. That would almost match the sparkle in your kind and loving eyes. But I have no pearls, no diamonds, As I’m sure you’re well aware So I’ll give you gifts more precious My devotion, love and care.
Years ago I gave my mom a gift with this engraving, but i can't recall the author (edit: sorry about the formatting/punctuation) If I could give you diamonds for each tear you cried for me. If I could give you sapphires for each truth you’ve helped me see. If I could give you rubies for the heartache that you’ve known. If I could give you pearls for the wisdom that you’ve shown. Then you’ll have a treasure, mother, that would mount up to the skies. That would almost match the sparkle in your kind and loving eyes. But I have no pearls, no diamonds, As I’m sure you’re well aware So I’ll give you gifts more precious My devotion, love and care.
