A Mother Knows

My thoughts are there with you tonight

I said a prayer too ----

I know your heart is heavy

And there's nothing you can do.

When a child is hurting

No matter where or why

A mother's heart is hurting too,

A tear is in her eye

Her step is slow and heavy

Long and sleepless is her night

How anxious are her thoughts by day

How terrible her fright.

She wishes for the old days, when

Her arms would open wide

And with a kiss she'd ease the pain

Of the child wrapped inside.

But alas, those days are over

Her children have all grown

She can't be there to comfort them

For now they're on their own.

To live and learn and make mistakes

To love, to laugh, to cry,

For they are only human, too

The same as you and I.

We can't live their lives for them

Or shelter them from harm,

But we can reassure them ----

That our hearts are soft and warm

And our arms are still a refuge

Should they some comfort seek,

And maybe we can furnish strength

When they are feeling weak.

We can offer hope and courage

And understanding, too

No matter what their problem,

We can help to see them through.

For a mother is a mother ----

As long as she shall live

And her heart is overflowing

With the love she has to give.

I hope you'll find some comfort

In this poem I wrote for you

You know I know how you feel

' Cause I'm a mother, too!

And we can share our sorrow

And the joys that come our way

Because we're still the same old friends

That we were yesterday.

Pearl E. Cain