San Lorenzo Giustiniani's Mother
Alice Meynell’s poem “San Lorenzo Giustiniani’s Mother” is a tribute to the mother of the Italian saint, San Lorenzo Giustiniani. The poem is written in the form of a prayer, and it praises the mother for her faith and devotion to her son. The poem begins with a description of the mother’s love for her son, and how she prayed for him every day. The poem then goes on to describe how the mother’s faith was so strong that it was able to protect her son from harm. The poem ends with a plea to God to bless the mother and her son, and to grant them both eternal peace.
By Alice Meynell · First published 1903 · Genre: Poetry, Biography, Fiction · 218 words
First lines
I had not seen my son's dear face / (He chose the cloister by God's grace) / Since it had come to full flower-time. / I hardly guessed at its perfect prime, / That folded flower of his dear face.
Mine eyes were veiled by mists of tears / When on a day in many years / One of his Order came. I thrilled, / Facing, I thought, that face fulfilled. / I doubted, for my mists of tears.
His blessing be with me for ever! / My hope and doubt were hard to sever. / -- That altered face, those holy weeds. / I filled his wallet and kissed his beads, / And lost his echoing feet for ever.
What this Textopian page supports
San Lorenzo Giustiniani's Mother is listed on Textopian as a short story by Alice Meynell, dated 1903 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Alice Meynell
- Date: 1903 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Biography, Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 218 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for San Lorenzo Giustiniani's Mother by Alice Meynell
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
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Genres
- Poetry — The title of the book is 'Poems: SAN LORENZO GIUSTINIANI'S MOTHER', indicating that the book is a collection of poems.
- Biography — The book is about the mother of SAN LORENZO GIUSTINIANI, suggesting that it is a biography of her life.
- Fiction — The book is written by Alice Meynell, suggesting that it is a work of fiction.
- Literary Fiction — The book is written by Alice Meynell, suggesting that it is a work of literary fiction.
Tags
historical fiction · biography · religious themes · Italian history · motherhood · spirituality · Catholicism · Renaissance · family dynamics · faith · sainthood · cultural heritage
More by Alice Meynell
- Poems: SONNET -- MY HEART SHALL BE THY GARDEN (1903)
- Poems: SONNET -- THOUGHTS IN SEPARATION (1903)
- Poems: TO A POET (1903)
- Poems: SONG OF THE SPRING TO THE SUMMER: THE POET SINGS TO HER POET (1903)
- Poems: TO THE BELOVED (1903)
- Poems: MEDITATION (1903)
- Poems: TO THE BELOVED DEAD -- A LAMENT (1903)
- Poems: SONNET (1903)
- All works by Alice Meynell