Ode to Mother

She'd borne us at her own expense,
a burden of the love she shared,
and with no thought of recompense,
unselfishly, for us she cared.

When we cried out in the night
at some unknown, imagined fear,
she turned on the safety light
which made the demons disappear.

She held us in her loving arms
until we fell asleep,
singing David's praising psalms
while silently for us she'd weep.

Whatever pain her children felt,
my mother felt it too,
then by our side oft she knelt,
helping us to see it through.

Together, to the Lord we'd pray
and read his holy Word;
Ma would teach us what to say,
assuring us our prayers were heard.

Through trying adolescent years,
she led us by the hand,
drying youthful acrid tears
by her power to understand.

Sometimes, on roads to adulthood
when we would lose our way,
she made sure the paths were good
that we would journey by one day.

And being many miles from home
somehow we always knew,
no matter where her child would roam
eternally Ma's love stayed true.