Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MOTHER DEAR, by LETTIE EARLEY VAN HOESEN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MOTHER DEAR, by                    
First Line: Mother, what makes the sky so blue?
Last Line: "teach me to hear! Teach me to hear!"
Subject(s): Children; Mothers; Childhood


"Mother, what makes the sky so blue?
And the clouds all fleecy and white?
What holds the sun 'way up in the sky?
And where does he go at night?
Would I be happy to be with God --
Like my Sunday-school teacher said?
But won't I ever see Him at all --
Exceptin' when I am dead?"

Mother

"Why -- God, my dear, --
Well -- He's right here
In the good that we do or say.
You see Him in me --
In the flower -- and bee -- and --
But run now -- my dear -- and play."

Child

"Mother, -- I saw the teeniest bird
Just kicking out of his shell.
How did he get there -- anyway?
The storybooks never tell.
Did -- He put the bird inside the shell?
And paint the sky so blue?
I think I could love Him, mother dear,
If He were at all like you."

Mother

"Listen, my dear!
And you will hear --
His voice in the robin's note.
In the babblings gay
Of the streamlet's lay --
-- But don't you want to run now, and play?"

Child

"Mother, I b'lieve God talked to me --
Yesterday, under the apple tree.
'Cause I didn't want to do what you said --
'Bout pulling the weeds from the flower bed.
But the smell of the blossoms and robin's note
Made a great big lump come right in my throat,
And I got all over the mad like you said,
And was just all happy inside, instead."

Mother

"Ah, darling boy,
Would I could hear
His voice, as clear as thou,
Feel His presence near --
In the falling tear, --
My dear.
Teach me to hear! teach me to hear!"





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