When I was 11, and in 7th grade, we were given a project to set-up a poetry book. In it we were to include any poems we liked and any original work.

I remember thumbing through a poetry anthology while visiting grandma and aunt Florence in Brooklyn. Aunt Florence was my father’s sister, (she’s in her 90’s, outlived everyone), and she never married. In a mahogany bookcase with glass doors there were the likes of “Sex and the Single Girl,” to Shakespeare, all with stickers that said “Ex Librus, Florence Margulies.”

I found the pocket book of poetry and borrowed it. I probably kept it. In those days pocket book editions were 25¢ and and they intrigued me. Sometimes they held Murder Mysteries with sexy dames on the cover, or something as sweet as the book of poems I found.

I copied this poem and put it in my poetry book, so many years ago. I never forgot the first few lines and searched and found the poem. I hadn’t thought about it for many years, but as I get older, my mother, who is now 90, is also getting older, and though she is independent, she lives alone.
I have become hypersensitive to what it might like to reach that age and to be alone. She told me she took the wrong bus and would have had to have crossed a wide boulevard to right her error. She was terrified to cross the street and asked a gentleman to please help her. He started to take her across and then brought her back to the curb. He told her to wait, and came back with his wife and car and they drove her home.
As my mom lives far away in Florida, I hope that kind souls continue to look out for her; I hope she continues to be well, to get up, work out with her little barbells, put on her makeup, tend to her business, and have fun. All 86 pounds of her 4’9″ little person.

Sans Souci, Laurita and Mom

Somebody’s Mother
Mary Dow Brine (1816-1913)

The woman was old and ragged and gray
And bent with the chill of the Winter’s day.  

The street was wet with a recent snow
And the woman’s feet were aged and slow.  

She stood at the crossing and waited long,
Alone, uncared for, amid the throng  

Of human beings who passed her by
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eyes.  

Down the street, with laughter and shout,
Glad in the freedom of “school let out,”  

Came the boys like a flock of sheep,
Hailing the snow piled white and deep.  

Past the woman so old and gray
Hastened the children on their way.  

Nor offered a helping hand to her –
So meek, so timid, afraid to stir  

Lest the carriage wheels or the horses’ feet
Should crowd her down in the slippery street.  

At last came one of the merry troop,
The gayest laddie of all the group;  

He paused beside her and whispered low,
“I’ll help you cross, if you wish to go.”  

Her aged hand on his strong young arm
She placed, and so, without hurt or harm,  

He guided the trembling feet along,
Proud that his own were firm and strong.  

Then back again to his friends he went,
His young heart happy and well content.  

“She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know,
For all she’s aged and poor and slow,  

“And I hope some fellow will lend a hand
To help my mother, you understand,  

“If ever she’s poor and old and gray,
When her own dear boy is far away.”  

And “somebody’s mother” bowed low her head
In her home that night, and the prayer she said  

Was “God be kind to the noble boy,
Who is somebody’s son, and pride and joy!” 

Tags: poetry, poetry wednesday

reply bostonsdandd wrote on Oct 21, ’08 Ahhhh! Sans, PLEASE tell me this is going in your book LOL. This is BEAUTIFUL! The words about your mother and then this poem. Over the TOP with beauty! You are my hero LOL!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Oct 21, ’08 bostonsdandd said Ahhhh! Sans, PLEASE tell me this is going in your book LOL. This is BEAUTIFUL! The words about your mother and then this poem. Over the TOP with beauty! You are my hero LOL! Only putting my own stuff in the book, so it won’t be included. I would like to learn more about this poet. She wrote for Harper’s Bazaar

reply bostonsdandd wrote on Oct 21, ’08 Ever had a “Duh!” moment LOL? I saw the name but didn’t connect it as the author :op. Sorry Sans :o/.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Oct 21, ’08 bostonsdandd said Ever had a “Duh!” moment LOL? I saw the name but didn’t connect it as the author :op. Sorry Sans :o/. Quite ok! I am honored that you thought it was mine.

reply mntsinger wrote on Oct 21, ’08 🙂 Sue that was wonderful and I am glad someone was there for your mother.

reply jadedruid wrote on Oct 21, ’08 I loved this. What a onderful poem.

reply dianahopeless wrote on Oct 22, ’08 What a beautiful story about your mother. And I dearly love the poem! ~sniffing~ Now for some reason my face is all wet. TY for sharing this Sue. ((HUGS))

reply sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Oct 22, ’08 Oh,so sweet this piece! Something that is all too rare and hardly taught to children these days is respect for the elderly. I can remember being taught to give up a seat for a standing elderly if waiting in line. To this day I always help the elderly if I can because I know one day I will be that little old woman who needs a kind soul to help me. This is very heart warming my friend! Thank you!

reply aimlessjoys wrote on Oct 22, ’08 Just lovely! Enjoyed, & thanks for the memory of a sweeter time.

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Oct 22, ’08 I remember when mom said she took the wrong bus. It’s scary to know she’s so far away and we can’t help her. As that famous line that goes, “I always depend on the kindness of strangers” from Streetcar Named Desire. It’s good to know there are kindred souls in the world sometimes. Great poem with such sensitivity. Thanks for sharing that one this week !

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Oct 22, ’08 lauritasita said I remember when mom said she took the wrong bus. It’s scary to know she’s so far away and we can’t help her. As that famous line that goes, “I always depend on the kindness of strangers” from Streetcar Named Desire. It’s good to know there are kindred souls in the world sometimes. Great poem with such sensitivity. Thanks for sharing that one this week !  Sis, it just kind of hit me, and it came together on the fly.

reply starfishred wrote on Oct 22, ’08 Wonderful sue and if more people in the world had the will to help others as this poet the world would be a better place.

reply strongwilledwoman wrote on Oct 22, ’08 Beautiful I had tears in my eyes. There are few people in this world as wonderful as old people.

reply sylvie1 wrote on Oct 22, ’08, edited on Oct 22, ’08 This is a grand poem. Filled with sadness an love. It made me cry. A Mother left to fend for herself in a world filled with people who couldn’t care less … except for the kindness of strangers she would fad away and die. So sad our elders are left to fend for themselves after all of the sacrifices they made when they were still capable and young. Damn … this really touched me.”here is mine, but it pales in comparison

reply teena2 wrote on Oct 22, ’08 Loved the poem…it gave me the chills  :))

reply spoiledkitty29 wrote on Oct 22, ’08 Wow, this is absolutely awesome…My grandmother lived alone, independent, for many years after my grandfather passed away. She kept his hat in the back seat of her car and his picture on the dining table so she could ride and have dinner each night with him. I do remember a few occasions where a kind soul helped her load groceries in her car or helped her cross a street…I believe that some people still do have inherently kind souls and will lend a helping hand 🙂 I can only hope that someone will when I reach that age.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Oct 22, ’08 teena2 said Loved the poem…it gave me the chills  :)) It had that affect on me as a young girl, and obviously still gets an emotional reaction from people, though it was written so long ago. I’m glad you found it meaningful.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Oct 22, ’08 spoiledkitty29 said Wow, this is absolutely awesome…My grandmother lived alone, independent, for many years after my grandfather passed away. She kept his hat in the back seat of her car and his picture on the dining table so she could ride and have dinner each night with him. I do remember a few occasions where a kind soul helped her load groceries in her car or helped her cross a street…I believe that some people still do have inherently kind souls and will lend a helping hand 🙂 I can only hope that someone will when I reach that age. I believe in “what goes around, comes around.” “I can only hope that someone will when I reach that age.” I am so with you! I am so touched by that anecdote about your grandma!

reply zafreud wrote on Oct 23, ’08 Heart-braking at the beginning, heart-warming at the end! Blessings fill any helping hand – I wish all hands reached out to help and not shoot!!! *sigh*

reply tulipsinspring wrote on Oct 30, ’08 Oh man, I was in tears at the end of this poem! I think part of it was your introduction about your mom. Your mom sounds awesome. I love that she works out with barbells and wears makeup. I can see where her daughters get their brilliance. She’s not alone though. Even if you are far away, she has a family who loves her and cares for her, and that is a huge, huge thing. And what a wonderful man to give her a ride home. I love knowing there are such people in the world. A wonderful, thought-provoking blog Sue!!!

reply pestep55 wrote on Oct 30, ’08 Lovely poem, lovely memory, lovely sentiment /:-)

reply kirbymakarandang wrote on Sep 20, ’10 Hi People, I would just like to make an introduce myself to everyone at Multiply…Your profile is fantastic! Usually when I visit other profiles, I just come across rubbish, but this time I was really surprised, finding a helpful profile containing great information and entertaining. Thanks people and keep the brilliant effort up.