The Mother of a Poet
The poem explores the relationship between a mother and her son, emphasizing her gentle and nurturing nature. The mother is portrayed as ethereal and kind, embodying innocence and purity, untouched by the harsh realities of life. Her spirit is likened to a serene spring, reflecting beauty and tranquility. The speaker admires her ability to cradle her child with love and warmth, suggesting that she experiences no fear or doubt about her role as a mother. The bond they share is profound, as she cherishes his early moments and first expressions, feeling a deep connection to his emerging identity. However, as the son grows, the poem acknowledges the inevitable distance that develops. His aspirations and desires propel him toward the unknown, beyond the confines of his mother's world. The mother, while supportive, cannot follow him into the realms he seeks, symbolizing the universal theme of separation as children pursue their paths. Imagery of nature, such as lakes and flowers, underscores the beauty of creation and the longing for understanding. The poem reflects on the collective human experience, suggesting that the artist's voice carries the weight of ancestral struggles and aspirations. Ultimately, it celebrates the transformative power of love and the bittersweet nature of growth and independence.
By Sara Teasdale · First published 1917 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism · 734 words
First lines
SHE is too kind, I think, for mortal things, Too gentle for the gusty ways of earth; God gave to her a shy and silver mirth, And made her soul as clear And softly singing as an orchard spring's In sheltered hollows all the sunny year -- A spring that thru the leaning grass looks up And holds all heaven in its clarid cup, Mirror to holy meadows high and blue With stars like drops of dew.
I love to think that never tears at night Have made her eyes less bright; That all her girlhood thru Never a cry of love made over-tense Her voice's innocence; That in her hands have lain, Flowers beaten by the rain, And little birds before they learned to sing Drowned in the sudden ecstasy of spring.
What this Textopian page supports
The Mother of a Poet is listed on Textopian as a poem by Sara Teasdale, dated 1917 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Sara Teasdale
- Date: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism, Imagism, Philosophical
- Length: 734 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Mother of a Poet by Sara Teasdale
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Similar titles
- To The True Romance by Rudyard Kipling
- When Love Was Born by Sara Teasdale
- Loves First Hope by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- To F J S by Robert Louis Stevenson
- The Passing by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Rose by Sara Teasdale
Genres
- Poetry — The work is a poem that explores themes of motherhood, creation, and the emotional bond between a mother and her child.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and thoughts, characteristic of lyric poetry, focusing on the inner feelings of the speaker.
- Romanticism — The themes of nature, emotion, and the idealization of motherhood align with Romantic literary ideals.
- Imagism — The vivid imagery and focus on sensory experiences reflect the principles of Imagism.
Tags
poetry · motherhood · love · nature · innocence · birth · spirituality · growth · yearning · beauty · emotion · life