Mother's Day Memorial Poems - Examples & ideas

Mother’s Day is a special day in the calendar for so many people, but those who are grieving the loss of their mother might find it difficult to manage. With marketing messages all around us reminding us that it’s Mother’s Day, and friends on social media paying tribute to their mothers, it can be a difficult day to navigate for those new to grief.

The first Mother’s Day after their death is often the most difficult. It will often creep up on you and you might not realise it’s happening until you start seeing messages everywhere. 

Exploring poetry on this special day can help you to express your grief in a meaningful way. It can also let others know that you are struggling so they give you a little extra support. In this article, we will explore why Mother’s Day is so tough for those who are grieving and what you can do to make it a little easier.

When is Mother’s Day?

Mother’s day falls on different days in different countries, so you might see social media messages more than once a year. In the UK, Mother’s Day falls three weeks before Easter Sunday, so thats the Sunday, 27 March this year, but in the United States, it is always the second Sunday in May. You might need to be wary of checking social media during these times if you find mentions of Mother’s Day triggering.

Why is Mother’s Day so difficult?

Mother’s Day is a difficult day for those who have recently lost their mother. When you lose the chance to celebrate this day with your mother, you are forced to mourn their loss again every year. This can be incredibly distressing and make it difficult to move on and learn to live with your grief.

If your mother passed away close to Mother’s Day, this can be even more traumatic, particularly if you had made plans to spend the day together. While it might be very difficult in the beginning, there are ways you can lessen the grief as time goes by.

How can you make Mother’s Day easier?

There are a few things you can do to make your Mother’s Day easier, particularly in the beginning. When the grief is fresh, you need to do everything you can to protect your wellbeing. Here are a few things you can do to make Mother’s Day easier.

• Ask friends and family not to mention it to you. It can easily slip their minds, but if you have recently reminded them that you don’t want to hear about their Mother’s Day plans, you’ll be less likely to run into difficulty. People might be inclined to check on you, but simply ask them not to mention what day it is.
• Update your settings on social media. Facebook allows you to remove all mentions of Mother’s Day from advertisers, so you won’t be targeted with any adverts that mention the occasion. You can also mute the words on Twitter to make it easier. Alternatively, try staying off social media in the run-up to Mother’s Day.
• Plan something for the day. Restaurants will be filled with people celebrating with their mothers, so try getting away from it all to keep distracted. You could visit the beach, enjoy a long walk, or simply get wrapped up in blankets and enjoy a movie marathon.
• Allow yourself to have your feelings. Remember that grief is not a straight road but a winding path, and you might find yourself back at the start more than once. Mother’s Day is one such day that can plunge you back into the deepest depths of grief. Rather than fighting your feelings, accept that it will be a hard day and spend some time with these feelings. 
• Take comfort in the little things. Our collection of necklaces for ashes and hair offer the perfect way to find comfort and reassurance when your grief feels like too much to handle.

What is a Mother’s Day memorial poem?

A Mother’s Day poem is commonly used to commemorate those we have lost. You might share the poem on social media, take a copy to her graveside, or simply find comfort in the words privately. Reading poetry about grieving the loss of a mother can help you to process your feelings and understand what is happening to you.

Poetry is effective because it helps individuals to relate to others in a simple way. It’s also incredibly accessible, so anyone can enjoy it without needing to understand how it works. You can also share them with young children and encourage them to write their own memorial poetry. 

Read on to read some beautiful memorial poems that are perfect for Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day memorial poems – with examples

My Mother Kept A Garden - Anon

My Mother kept a garden.

A garden of the heart;

She planted all the good things,

That gave my life its start.

She turned me to the sunshine,

And encouraged me to dream:

Fostering and nurturing

The seeds of self-esteem.

And when the winds and rains came,

She protected me enough;

But not too much, she knew I'd need

To stand up strong and tough.

Her constant good example,

Always taught me right from wrong;

Markers for my pathway

To last my whole life long.

I am my Mother's garden,

I am her legacy.

And I hope today she feels the love,

Reflected back from me.

A Sonnet for My Incomparable Mother – Joanna Fuchs

I often contemplate my childhood, Mom.

I am a mother now, and so I know

Hard work is mixed together with the fun;

You learned that when you raised me long ago.

I think of all the things you gave to me:

Sacrifice, devotion, love and tears,

Your heart, your mind, your energy and soul–

All these you spent on me throughout the years.

You loved me with a never-failing love

You gave me strength and sweet security,

And then you did the hardest thing of all:

You let me separate and set me free.

Every day, I try my best to be

A mother like the mom you were to me.

Away – James Whitcomb Riley

I cannot say and I will not say

That she is dead, she is just away.

With a cheery smile and a wave of hand

She has wandered into an unknown land;

And left us dreaming how very fair

Its needs must be, since she lingers there.

And you-oh you, who the wildest yearn

From the old-time step and the glad return-

Think of her faring on, as dear

In the love of there, as the love of here

Think of her still the same way, I say;

She is not dead, she is just away.

Your Mother is Always With You – Deborah R Culver

She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street.

She’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself.

She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well.

She’s your breath in the air on a cold winters’ day.

She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colours of a rainbow.

She is Christmas morning.

Your mother lives inside your laughter.

She’s the place you come from, your first home.

She’s the map you follow with every step you take.

She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy.

But nothing on Earth can separate you.

Not time.

Not space.

Not even death.

Her Journey’s Just Begun – Anon

Don’t think of her as gone away, her journey’s just begun

Life holds so many facets, this earth is only one.

Just think of her as resting from the sorrows and the tears

In a place of warmth and comfort where there are no days or years.

Think how she must be wishing that we could know today

How nothing but our sadness, can really pass away.

And think of her as living in the hearts of those she touched

For nothing loved is ever lost and she was loved so much.

If Roses Grow in Heaven – Dolores M. Garcia

If roses grow in heaven,

Lord please pick a bunch for me,

Place them in my Mother’s arms

and tell her they’re from me.

Tell her I love her and miss her,

and when she turns to smile,

place a kiss upon her cheek

and hold her for awhile.

Because remembering her is easy,

I do it every day,

but there’s an ache within my heart

that will never go away.

A Mother’s Love – Helen Steiner Rice

A Mother’s love is something

that no one can explain,

It is made of deep devotion

and of sacrifice and pain,

It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it

or take that love away.

It is patient and forgiving

when all others are forsaking,

And it never fails or falters

even though the heart is breaking.

It believes beyond believing

when the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty

of the rarest, brightest gems.

It is far beyond defining,

it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret

like the mysteries of creation.

A many splendored miracle

man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence

of God’s tender guiding hand.