Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ANY MOTHER, by KATHARINE TYNAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ANY MOTHER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: There is no height, no depth, my own, could set us apart
Last Line: Body of mine and soul of mine, do I not know?
Alternate Author Name(s): Hinkson, Katharine Tynan
Subject(s): Children; Forgiveness; God; Heaven; Hell; Love; Mothers; Childhood; Clemency; Paradise


THERE is no height, no depth, my own, could set us apart,
Body of mine and soul of mine: heart of my heart!

There is no sea so deep, my own, no mountain so high,
That I should not come to you if I heard you cry.

There is no Hell so sunken, no Heaven so steep,
Where I should not seek my own, find you and keep.

Now you are round and soft to see, sweet as a rose,
Not a stain on my spotless one, white as the snows.

If some day you came to me heavy with sin,
I, your mother, would run to the door and let you in.

I would wash you white again with my tears and grief,
Body of mine and soul of mine, till you found relief.

Though you had sinned all sins there are 'twixt east and west,
You should find my arms wide for you, your head on my breast.

Child, if I were in Heaven one day and you were in Hell—
Angels white as my spotless one stumbled and fell—

I would leave for you the fields of God and Queen Mary's feet,
Straight to the heart of Hell would go, seeking my sweet.

God mayhap would turn Him around at sound of the door:
Who is it goes out from Me to come back no more?

Then the blessed Mother of God would say from her throne:
Son, 'tis a mother goes to Hell, seeking her own.

Body of mine, and Soul of mine, born of me,
Thou who wert once little Jesus beside my knee,

It is like to that all mothers are made: Thou madest them so.
Body of mine and Soul of mine, do I not know?





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