# Poems

by  
Lenna Esplin Pay

## A Mother's Prayer

I'm sitting by the window,  
The lights are turned down low  
I plainly see the Christmas star  
That shone so long ago.  

The room is warm and cozy.  
The tree is tinsel bright.  
It is a lovely place to be  
On this cold and wintry night.  

My heart is filled with happiness.  
Yet my eyes are dim with tears.  
I can't help but remember  
The pain of other years.  

I see again my first born son.  
His shinning reddish curls,  
His precious soul imprisoned  
In a body, crippled, spoiled.  

We watched and waited, worked and prayed.  
We had great faith; not fear.  
We were hoping for a miracle  
But he lived just eight short years.  

At last my heart is mended  
My soul is filled with peace.  
The bitterness that chained me  
Has finally found release.  

We Mothers who have suffered  
Implore thee now dear Lord  
Don't let them take our Stalwart Sons  
Their loss we can't afford.  

Yet we must not let the children  
Of this cruel atomic age  
Be the victim of World leaders  
Who are seeking to enslave.  

Oh, God, who heals all sorrow  
Look down this Christmas Eve.  
Please heal the hearts of Nations,  
That are filled with hate and greed.  

Let the shining light of freedom,  
Shine on all the world tonight  
Let the people of all nations  
Keep the Peace Star shining bright.  

* * *

## When Pa Puts Up the Christmas Tree

A few days before Christmas  
After Ma's constant naggin'  
Pa finally decides  
He must begin without lagging.  

He gets out the nails, the hammer and saw  
He clutters the kitchen 'till I fell sorry for Ma.  
He swears and he moans, he mutters and groans  
We all stand aghast just listenin' to Pa.  

He takes down the ornaments, the tinsel, and stars.  
He keeps us all runnin' almost to Mars.  
He shouts for the scissors, the tape, and the angle  
And when he is done, we haven't a worry  
We all know the tree will stand with great glory.  

It's a master-piece of beauty when he finally gets through.  
And we all get to rest for a minute or two.  
We gaze at the glory that Pa has created  
As he drops on the couch as if he has fainted.  

But it wouldn't be Christmas without the excitement  
of Pa and his temper  
And His yearly assignment.  

* * *

# I HEAR MY MOTHER SINGING

I can stil hear my mother singing  
In the kitchen down below  
When I awakened in the morn  
When I was a girl so long ago.  

Her voice was strong and sweet then  
In those years I used to know  
And her songs all had a moral  
Of the way that we should go.  

My Mother's getting old now,  
She doesn't sing much anymore.  
She laughs and says her voice is cracked  
When we beg her just one more.  

I know she's getting tired  
After all the trouble she's know;  
But, please don't give up now, Mother.  
We need you, yet, you know.  

Please keep on singing, Mother  
For I know that up above  
Father must be listening  
To that voice that we all love  

Maybe someday, way up yonder  
We'll all be together again.  
And we'll sing the Hallelujah Chorus  
And we'll make such a din  
That the Lord will open up the gates  
And let us all come in.  

* * *

# Memories of Home

I see the white house on the hillside.  
With its beauty against the high hill.  
The home that we all loved and cherished  
Is again with happiness filled.  

I think of us there in the twilight  
As we came home at the end of the day.  
I see all those dear, loving faces,  
As we knelt in the evening to pray.  

The waterfall sounds in the distance,  
The wind through the mulberry blows.  
The birds call good-night from the treetops,  
The cool breeze from the canyon flows.  

The moon comes over white mountains  
As we all prepare for the night  
The Valley is peaceful and quiet  
And we all feel safe and all right  

I call the roll in my memory  
As my mind goes back through the years.  
And my heart yearns to return there  
To our home filled with happiness and tears.  

* * *

# Our Neighbor

There's a house near ours across the street,  
That's a happy home so clean and neat.  
Five happy children are growing up there  
Who have always known love and tender care.  

I sigh and turn from my window view  
And brush from my eyes a tear or two  
Death the Grim Reaper came last night  
And took from his home its bright shining light  

I remember with love this Mother's kind ways.  
Her faith and devotion in happier days.  
And I wonder why sadness should come today  
To a home so perfect in every way.  

But dear kindly neighbor this I know  
Your children will know the way to go  
God in his mercy will heal their tears  
And lead them genlty through the years.  

* * *

# Sister

Dear little sister I'm sad today,  
I weep because you have gone away.  
I know it was better for you to go  
But it's lonely for us you left here below.  

I wish somehow I could atone,  
For the years you felt so all alone.  
I know you had many troubles to bear,  
Why didn't I make more effort to share?  

The death of a mother is hard to bear  
But as a family, they'll learn to share  
They'll do something useful in this life  
They'll get along in trouble and strife.  

Dear little sister this I believe,  
You can rest in peace and sweet relief.  
Your children will find the way to go,  
You've taught them better than you know.  

* * *

# My Daughter

God gave me a daughter  
A gift from above.  
Nothing more precious  
Could he send me to love.  

For eighteen short years  
I treasured each moment.  
She brought hope, peace, and love  
To a life badly shattered.  

Now I must let her leave our home;  
She wants to test her wings alone.  
It breaks my heart to see her go  
But it can't be otherwise I know.  

Oh, God! Let her find happiness in this life  
She will make some good man, a very fine wife.  
Let her find goodness; not too much strife  
She has so much happiness to offer life.  

* * *

# Our Son

We had one little boy just full of fun,  
Tired and weary when day was done.  
Marbles, string and trash galore,  
Dumped upon his bedroom floor.  

Just one little boy makes work to do  
Washing and mending and much cleaning too.  
Well balanced meals to make him grow  
Watching and planning all for you.  

But oh how I miss that little rough boy,  
Our home is so empty without all his noise.  
I miss all the excitement and cooking and such  
I really loved it all very much.  

We gave him up to the big wide world.  
We had faith in him and the Lord above.  
I hope our teachings meant something to him.  
He'll need lots of faith, before he is through.  

But Son keep your course both straight and true.  
Work long and hard; good men are too few.  
But if I have failed in you my son,  
I've failed in everything I've done.  

* * * 

# Christmas Eve

Parents everywhere tonight  
Because it's Christmas Eve  
Gather your children around you  
Let nothing intercede.  

Children will always remember the happiness  
That home and Christmas bring  
And the lessons they learn at your hearthside  
Give them standards to which they will cling.  

Too soon your children will leave you  
So before it becomes to late  
Teach them of God and his kingdom  
And the choices they must make.  

Love them and draw them near you  
Your years to have them are few.  
Show them the true meaning of Christmas  
And the gifts that God will always renew.  

* * *

* 15 Feb 1994 - Typed by Valery Evensen.
* 1 Jul 2000 - Manually converted to html by Mark Esplin.
* 18 Sep 2010 - Converted to [markdown](http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown) by Daniel Esplin.