Poetry and Sayings

Family

Father:

• My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.



• A father's goodness is higher than the mountains, a mother's goodness is deeper than the sea.



• Not to be cheered by praise,
  Not to be grieved by blame,
  But to know thoroughly one's own virtues and powers,
  Are the characteristics of an excellent man.
  
  

Mother:

• Generations
  
  The way I walk
  I see my mother walking
  My feet secure
  and firm upon the ground
  The way I talk
  I hear my daughter talking,
  And hear my mother's echo
  in the sound.
  The way she thought
  I find myself now thinking,
  The generations linking
  In a firm continum of mind.
  The bridge of immortality
  I'm walking -
  The voice before me echoing behind.
            Dorothy Hallard



• Mommy
  
  Mommy. I catch my breath.
  It is so unexpected.
  Suddenly to hear that word
  Again. Not Mom or Mother.
  Mommy. Not in the reedy, piping
  Voice of yesterday, but in a voice
  Surprisingly like my own.
  
  Everyday words stream
  Between us.
  Glancing at her face,
  I see she doesn't realize she's said it.
  And so I will not embarrass her.
  I will merely
  Enjoy it.
  
  



• At...
  1 year - Mama.
  4 years - I want my Momma.
  7 years - I need to ask my Mommy first.
  12 years - My Mother is so uncool.
  17 years - Naturally, Mother doesn't understand.
  21 years - Mom is so out of touch - What would you expect?
  30 years - Maybe Mom will have a good idea.
  35 years - I'll call Mom and see what she thinks about it. Mom is really a lot of help.
  40 years - Maybe Mom and I could do that together.
  50 years - I wonder what Mom would have thought about it.
  60 years - I wish once more I could talk it over with Mom.



• Mothers, touch your children,
  Fathers, hug them tight,
  Let them know you love them
  Morning, noon, and night.



• Hands
  Thank you Lord for dirty hands
  That touch my stove and fridge;
  For sticky little fingers that
  Try to build a bridge.
  
  For careless hands that go astray
  In search of something new;
  For hands to hold and show the way
  As mothers often do.
  
  For precious little hands in which
  Great faith so abounds;
  For silly little hands that reach
  To touch a mother's frown.
  
  And thank you for your guiding hand
  That leads me to the light;
  That lifts me when I stumble
  And points me to the right.
  
  
• My mother is in two places at once - on my nerves and in my heart.



• The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom.



• Yours were the first eyes I looked into.
  Yours were the first arms to hold me tight.
  You were the first to show me never-ending love and compassion.
  Forever . . . you are my mother
  And I am blessed.
      E. K. Mitchell

Grandmother:

• Grandmother
  What could be more precious
  than Grandma's special love?
  She always seems to know the things
  That we are fondest of.
  She's always ready with a smile
  Or a loving word of praise,
  Her laughter always brightens up
  The cloudiest of days...
  She has an understanding heart
  that encourages and cheers.
  The love she gives so freely
  Grows deeper with the years.
  Her wisdom and devotion
  are blessings from above-
  Nothing could be more precious
  than Grandma's special love.



• Between the earth and sky above, nothing can match a grandmother's love.



• Through my grandmother's eyes, I can see more clearly the way things used to be, the way things ought to be, and most important of all, the way things really are.       Ed Cunningham
  
  
Thanks to Denny for sending in the next three Grandmother poems.


• Walking With Grandma

I like to walk with Grandma,
Her steps are short like mine.
She doesn't say "Now hurry up",
She always takes her time.
I like to walk with Grandma,
Her eyes see things like mine do,
Wee pebbles bright, a funny cloud,
half hidden drops of dew.
Most people have to hurry,
They do not stop to see,
I'm glad that God made Grandma
Unrushed and young like me!


• Mother and Grandma
  My mother feeds me tuna fish
  With broccoli on the side.
  But Grandma gives me candy
  When my mouth is open wide.
  My mother slices apples
  And oranges for dessert.
  My grandma brings me doughnuts
  If she finds out I am hurt.
  My mother makes me drink my milk
  Most every single night.
  But Grandma gives me ice cream bars
  When I do something right.
  My mother cooks up rice and beans
  That have an awful taste.
  So I say, "See ya later,
  I'm going to Grandma's place!
  
  
• Grandma Doesn't Care

I got some jam on her new couch,
But Grandma doesn't care.
I lost my toothbrush, dropped a glass,
My old jeans have a tear.
I tipped the cat dish on the floor,
My feet are always bare,
The way I look is a disgrace,
But, Grandma doesn't care.
She's very busy, then she sees,
The tangles in my hair
She gets a brush, I make a fuss,
But, Grandma doesn't care.
When I am grown, and on my own,
When visits become rare,
I won't forget the love I'd get
When Grandma didn't care.

Grandfather:

• A Boy Needs A Grandpa
  A boy needs a Grandpa...
  For man-to-man talks,
  To go hand in hand
  On companionable walks,
  To fix up his toys
  When they no longer go,
  To tell him the things
  Little boys want to know.
  
  A boy needs a Grandpa...
  To show him the way
  To handle a puppy,
  To teach him fair play.
  To impart bits of wisdom
  He's learned through the years,
  That it's no disgrace
  For a man to shed tears.
  
  A boy needs a Grandpa...
  To sit on his lap
  And if no one is looking,
  They take a wee nap,
  Each wrapped in an aura
  Of love and esteem,
  Each smiling gently
  At some special dream.
            Eleanor B. Fallis
  
  
• Grandpa Doesn't Care
  My ice cream dripped on his good pants,
  but grandpa doesn't care.
  his fishing tackle's tangled up,
  his rod is who knows where?
  I lost his keys in the garage,
  I've made a mess out there.
  I'm always getting into things,
  but grandpa doesn't care.
  I help him in the garden 'cause
  we're really quite a pair;
  I pull the plants out with the weeds,
  but grandpa doesn't care.
  When I am grown and on my own,
  when visits become rare,
  I won't forget the love I'd get when
  grandpa didn't care.
            Thanks to Denny for sending this one.
  

Miscellaneous:

• I thought this poem would be perfect for family reunion photos.
  
  Say Cheese!
  We begged and we pleaded for them all to say "cheese"
  But only the eldest were aiming to please
  So how many more years do you think it will take
  Until all of the cousins cooperate?
            Shirin Schneider
  
  
• Pride in family is pride in ordinary people who in our hearts and minds become extraordinary.



• If you can't get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make him dance.



• The family is our refuge and springboard...our link to the past, our bridge to the future.



• Family faces are mirrors. Looking at the people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future.

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