I am submitting a poem that was written by my sister. Our mother died in March of 1990 of cancer. After a few months my sister and I decided to write her life story, and my sister wrote a poem. We made copies of the poem and the book for each of our brothers and sister. My mother's name was Jean Duffy. She was born in the Codroy Valley. Her maiden name was Cormier. She married my dad, who was from the Port-au-Port Peninsula. In 1969 they moved our family to Labrador City. I want to surprise her with this. My sister's name is Theresa Shave, and she lives on Strathmore, Alta. I receive your magazine every month and I read the poems, and I thought that when you read my sister's poem you will see that it can relate to mothers everywhere.

Della Gray


Our Mother

by

Theresa Rose Shave

She was the light of our father's eyes,
for 45 years they slept side by side,
when death finally took her soul,
she left treasured memories for us to hold.

Her gentle, loving, careful ways,
were shown to her children everyday,
Her children knew her loving hands,
would guide them through uncharted lands.

Today as I sit on my front step,
I think of Mom and Dad and how they met,
In Stephenville, Newfoundland that fateful night.
fate played a role, they would become man and wife.

Nine children she would raise,
with her love and genteel ways,
Her love of life we can all attest,
a busy mother with little time to rest.

She worked in her home all day long,
no job was ever too big for our mom,
her days were never complete,
until Dad and kids were in bed asleep.

She was wise beyond her years,
she taught her children to overcome their fears,
She found joy in life's simple pleasures,
her family was her prized treasure

Baking and cooking all those years,
she kissed our bruises and wiped our tears,
held our hands when we were down,
rejoiced with us when love we found.

So unselfish did she love,
she got her power from up above.
The Lord her God she did pray.
Keep my children safe night and day.

A quiet, kind, loving mother,
her children she never smothered.
she gave them wings to fly away,
but home was always there to stay.

She showed us all the right way to live,
willing to sacrifice in order to give,
over the years she was a mother to many;
with her endless love there was always plenty.

As brothers and sisters we all held her dear,
let's end this poem with a small prayer,
thank you Lord for the mother that graced our life,
she gave it her all to be mother and wife.


Dedicated to our Mother
Regina Rose Duffy
This 13th day of June, 1998

Author: Theresa Rose Shave   Submitted By: NULL