Oft within our little cottage, As the shadows gently fall, While the sunlight touches softly One sweet face upon the wall, Do we gather close together, And in hushed and tender tone Ask each other's full forgiveness For the wrong that each has done. Should you wonder why this custom At the ending of the day, Eye and voice would quickly answer: "It was once our mother's way." 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. Sometimes when our hands grow weary, Or our tasks seem very long; When our burdens look too heavy, And we deem the right all wrong; Then we gain a new, fresh courage, And we rise to proudly say: "Let us do our duty bravely -- This was our dear mother's way." Then we keep her memory precious, While we never cease to pray That at last, when lengthening shadows Mark the evening of our day, They may find us waiting calmly To go home our mother's way. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JOY OF THE MORNING by EDWIN MARKHAM AMY WENTWORTH; FOR WILLIAM BRADFORD by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER LAURENCE BLOOMFIELD IN IRELAND: 9. GOING TO THE FAIR by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE ALBION QUEENS, ACT 1: THE WONDER by JOHN BANKS (17TH CENTURY-) MY GARDEN by CLARA MCKEE BEEDE DER TAG: NELSON AND BEATTY by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES THE SALLE MONTESQUIEU; A PARISIAN REMINISCENCE by WILLIAM ALLEN BUTLER |