A Mothers Garden of Verses Poems

This book is enjoyed by mothers of all ages and all people who love children.

As the nighttime comes upon me
And I’m drifting off to sleep
I think about my day just finished
And the great tasks I didn’t complete.

If anyone would ask me
What have I accomplished today
The answer’s very simple
“Nothing,” I would say.

On the worldly scale of projects
I have nothing at all to show
For I wrote no books and I penned no poems
And I didn’t go travelling to New York or Rome.
And I not only didn’t erase the Federal debt
But I have to confess, I didn’t make the bed.

For today I spent with my little one
And we went and fed the birds
And then we swang all afternoon
(Or is ‘swinged’ really the word?)

We took a walk around the block
And we saw the letter ‘T’
And then we spotted airplanes
Until long after three.

We took a nap and we read some books
And we ate some eggs and toast
And because he wanted, I gave him cheese
Which he seems to love the most.

We called up Grandma on the phone
And we talked until his bath
And then we washed up and got ready for bed
And had a few wonderful laughs.

So now you can see why I said before
That on the worldly scale of things
Though we had lots of fun,
not one thing was done
And I have nothing at all to show.

For I wrote no books
and I penned no poems,
And I didn’t go travelling
to New York or Rome,
I didn’t take over a company
And I didn’t fly a plane
And if I’m very, very lucky tomorrow
I’ll do the same ‘nothing’ again.

Perspective_{© 1997}
(for Louis and Irene)
by Janet S. Tiger

I see a weed
My little girl sees a dandelion
Ready to blow its fairy seeds into the sky

I see a bumpy road
My little boy sees a chance to bounce and giggle
As we hit each lump

Suddenly I see the weed as not something
to be mad at having to pull
But as something beautiful to watch
Wafting gracefully in the wind
As my little girl laughs and smiles
And says, “Let’s find another dandelion.”

And suddenly I see the bumpy road as a chance
not to worry about the
tires and suspension
But as a chance to have fun
And each bump brings us into the air
And closer to God

I think about how I have no troubles at all
All the things that I have worried about
Are the dandelions and bumpy roads I see now
All I have to do is remember that
And look at each ‘trouble’ with my children’s eyes
And find the joy in each weed and bump.

Am I making them polite –
or will they turn out neurotic?
Am I stern like Mary Poppins -
Or just plain despotic?

You fix one problem
it causes another –
That’s the dilemma
of being a mother!

This poem, written in appreciation of nurses, is not included in the book.
Organizations are invited to republish the poem. Please see donations page for details.

I used to sail when I was younger
Now my only contact with boats
Is my oncologist – who loves to sail

But though I never faced a stormy sea
(I stayed safely in the bay)
I now have faced
A greater storm
A storm of the soul
With waves as high as heaven
The cells of cancer
The spray in my face

And yet, through it all

I knew there would be calm
A peace, a healing of the sea
For I have faced this ocean of illness
And I have won

So now I watch others sail the stormy seas
And I can only throw them a lifeline of words
To help them up the face of waves
As towering as the sky

And I watch others – the nurses who helped me
The lighthouses for lost souls
Send out beams of love
To guide the next sailors
Into the safe haven of wellness
And I thank them
For all you do – this poem’s for you!