Mother’s Day Poetry Contest Winner!

First of all, we would like to wish you, once again, a post-dated happy Mother's Day, and to send our wishes that your week and year afford you happiness and well being. MyHeritage.com would also like to thank you for all of the responses to our Mother's Day Poetry Competition. We had a lot of wonderful entries, and as promised, we will be sending out a batch of fresh flowers to the mother of this years winner!

That being said, it was not easy to pick a winner. Mother's Day is a time to reflect on a relationship that explores the very deepest of human connections, that of mother and child. The submitted poems each capture shades of the human spirit and personal narrative coupled with passionate affective prose and symbolism. Read in succession, it buckles ones heart to see the beauty of such kindred relationships. As unique as each poem is, the message is overwhelming universal in its intent, a moment to honor and reflect, making the body of submitted work more powerful than any individual work.

With that said, we would like to honor Mrs. Harryette Drayton for her lovely submission. A breezy, billowing nostalgia relics her ode to her mother. It is admirable in its ease of tone and rigor in outlining the effect of time on the physical and its inability to penetrate the impressively steadfast emotional maternal bond.

Here is Mrs. Drayton's poem:

C’mon you can do it take mommy’s hand

You encouraged with a smile, though they could yet barely stand

with patience and love you encouraged each day

and with that first step they were well on the way.

You nurtured tummy aches, tantrums and a sore, runny nose
and time was a fleeting. …like the wind that blows

at first, one little friend….before long, two

suddenly, opinions…decisions..not listening to you

But you loved them…spoiled them…pretended to be mad
…sometimes you even promised, not to tell dad

And as the wind blew it captured time on its wings

And before you knew it…. Weird… strange things

The hair… music ….too much time at the mall

and for mom….hardly…………………. time at all

And as the wind of time had its own way

You watched them grow stronger, taller and wiser each day

They made decisions. ….some bad….some good 
But the ticking of the clock signaled….their adulthood

And as the wind blew…the clock did chime

And in all of this…………….. passing of time

You never noticed…..your place held by another
He’d make a good dad… she’d make a good mother

You passed the torch of a nurturing heart
..a new cycle of life…….a brand new start

And as the wind did blow….the cycle did repeat

And before you stood……………… two wobbly lil feet

C’mon you can do it …take granny’s hand

You encouraged with a smile…though they could yet barely stand

Harryette Drayton 2010 copyright

Please check out all the other great poems on our contest announcement page.