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THE OTHERS DAY CARD 

For one fashioned with a Heart of Love
the Woman other Mothers wish they were made of.

To one who held my heart over the years
Felt my pain and endured my tears.

One who swept the doubt away.
Emptied the shadows with her Light of Day.

Gentle Woman.  Tender Woman.

This day is for you, for the challenges you face
and all that you do.

It's a Mother's Day of sorts though other women will say:
"The man must be crazy; it's not the Tenth of May!"

I alone know what is meant by this day's sorrow and joy

To have known and loved so deeply
One who raised men from little boys.

So let this be known as the Other's Day Card
for the other day, I thought of you and it 

~ broke my heart ~

Saleem Abdal-Khaaliq (c) nsa@vgernet.net

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It seems it is when we get older...or become a Mom ourselves we 
really grow to appreciate who our Mother's are...this is to all 
women who are or want to be Mother's.

Please allow me to thank you for giving me life
For all the years of turmoil, struggles and strife.
You taught me how to live steadfast and true
And cheered me up when I was blue

I can count on you like I count on no  other
Your special ways, you're a  special Mother
When I was young and I did wrong
You made me learn, you made me strong

The bond between us never shall sever
But now I must perform my hardest job ever
This I will handle with peace and calm
Because you taught me how to be a Mom

As I go on teaching my little ones
I 'll remember the fights and remember the fun
Everyday I'll thank the heavenly Father above
That he gave me a Mother, who taught me to Love

Happy Mother's Day to all Women!

Sue Christiansen (c)

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THANK YOU,  MOTHER

Mother, thank you for all the love you have given me

Thank you for instilling the confidence I needed to be 
all that I choose to be

Thank you for being there when I needed a friend

All my life...when I had fallen...you were there...
making sure my wounds would mend

Thank you for encouraging me when my dreams had doubt

Thank you for showing me how to survive my frustrations...
letting me experience what life is really about

Even when I'd failed in trying...you were still proud

And through all my successes...you were always my loudest 
fan in the crowd

You have been helping me to stand since birth

You taught me to achieve to the fullest...always telling 
me to give more than it was worth

So on this day...the day that is bestowed upon you

I would like to give you something special...my heart...
to a woman I hold so

dear and true

Happy Mother's Day MOM!

Cephus Pierce III (c) cpierce@poloralphlauren.com

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MY MOM

Angels smiled,
on this
destiny's child
a
woman personified.

In the past,
when I was last
you
made me first.

Rent was due,
cops pursued,
but 
you
remained
my mom.

When others
denied me
crucified me,
you 
were there 
in
my corner

When the 
world was whacked,
and
I was jacked,
you were
all of that
and more.

And so 
this day
I've but one 
thing to say
thanks Mom 
for
being 
my Mom

Rodney Coates (c) coatesrd@casmail.muohio.edu

*************************************************************

I REMEMBER

In all of life's uncertainty,
And all of the vagaries of our time,
I have always been safe
In the arms of your love.
Each day as I took a step beyond
Your Arms,
I knew that if I fell or faltered
You were there to comfort
And care for me.
Even now,
As Independent
As I May Seem
Looking back on those
Days as Your Child
I Remember it as the Best
Days of My life.
Thank you Mother.

Shaun Cecil (c) unteteunbois@usa.net

*************************************************************

THE WAY SHE SAID, "I LOVE YOU"

When I watch my Mother
I could feel her desire to speak those words
My wanting and gentle eyes glared into hers
Hoping that this time, they will come
And I will feel the warmth and security of her love 

She couldn't say it
She couldn't say the wonderful words I needed to hear
My heart would ache and bitterness was born
She doesn't love me
My Mother doesn't love me

So I go on
Living and growing 
Needing the void to be fulfilled
If only she could say it 
Just once!
Then I can be saved from the thought
That my Mother doesn't love me

Throughout the years
I realized that my Mother had a handicap
Her mouth could not speak what her heart could feel
This was difficult to accept as a child
But after careful observation
I looked back over all the years, and realized
She gave birth to me when she was a child herself
She tried to take care of me with little resources
She never pursued her own personal interests, instead
She focused on raising me to be a productive,
Confident and self-respecting woman

My Mother was not shown sensitivity and compassion
There were no emotional exchanges in her childhood
She was quite oblivious to those sweet words that nurtures the soul
But after careful observation
I looked back over all the years, and realized
She was my example of courage and determination
Meticulously, she would teach me the values of life
Experience by experience, trial by trial
She prepared a strong foundation for the structure of my future
She poured all that she is into the Woman that I am 

My Mother did not give up on me
She did not have all of the tools required 
To build the emotional arteries between us
But she demonstrated a consistent effort
To protect me and care for me
She would let nothing and no one come before me
Not even herself
She dedicated her life to me,
All of her life, 
Dedicated to ME

Now I look into my Mother's eyes 
Not only can I see, but I can hear those very special words
Spoken loudly, clearly, and so deeply
With acceptance and appreciation for my Mother
I look into her eyes again and hear her saying
"I love you, my child, I love you with all of my life"
And that's the way she said, "I Love You".

Reneé Davis (c) RDavis1969@aol.com

*************************************************************

MY MOTHER'S WOMB
[for my mother on Mother's Day]

My mother's womb 

Is to me, Noah's Ark

In which I was saved.

My mother's womb 

Is like the burning bush

It engulfed me but did not consume me.

Her breast milk 

Is like the waters that saved Noah

And led the Israelites into the Promised Land.

In the absence of my father, she feeds me

I was sick and she restored my soul.

How fortunate I am to have such a mother,

With her presence I am safe.

Padmore Agbemabiese (c) agbemabiese.1@osu.edu

*************************************************************

MOTHER LUV

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME
WHO HAS POPULATED THIS WORLD
WHO HAS TAKEN CARE OF THIS WORLD
THAT TRUE LUV, THAT DEEP LUV
SHE IS ALL THAT MANY CAN HOLD TO THEIR NAME
EVEN THOUGH NOT THOUGHT OF UNTIL THE END
THAT DEEP LUV, SHE'LL STILL BE A FRIEND
MANY LIKE HER, ARE OUT THERE DOING FOR THEMSELVES
DOING FOR OTHERS, TO STAY FROM FALLING.
FROM THE TIME A CHILD IS BORN,
SHE GIVES HER TEARS AND BLOOD
THE BABY IS TENDED, SO THAT IT KNOWS IT IS LOVED.
SO GENTLE AND FRAGILE, SHE HOLDS THAT BABY DEAR.
TO HEAR THAT CRY, THAT HOLLER, THAT SCREAM, 
THAT NOISE, SHE TENDS TO IT. 
SHE’S THE EYES THAT ARE ALWAYS WATCHING.
TO ALL THE STRONG WOMEN THAT HAVE CHILDREN
ARE THE TREE BEHIND THE SEED LOOK AT YOUR KIDS, 
YOU WATCH THEM GROW AND LEARN. SHE IS NEVER 
RECOGNIZED FOR HER HARDSHIP, NOR HER PAIN. 
THE REAL TEACHER OF ALL, THE BACK BONE OF MANY AGES, 
DECADES, CENTURIES, AND MILLENNIUMS.  RAISE THE ROOF 
FOR THIS EVERLASTING QUEEN.  AS SOFT AS A ROSE, AS 
FLOWING AS THE OCEAN. HOW DEEP IS YOUR LUV, NOT DEEPER 
THAN MOTHER LUV.  NO MATTER WHAT A MAN GOES THROUGH, 
HE COMES HOME TO MAMA. SHE TEACHES, PREACHES, SPEECHES, 
AS SHE FEELS YOU'LL NEVER TOO OLD TO LUV MAMA.  MEN 
CAN'T EVEN SEIZE THE POWER SHE RIDES. NO ONE CAN CARRY 
WEIGHT FOR 9 MONTHS, BLEED FOR 7 DAYS, PUNCH OUT LIFE FOR 
36 HOURS, AND STILL WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND FIX BREAKFAST, 
CLEAN THE HOUSE, GO TO WORK, AND STILL BE A PARENT. NO, NO, 
NO, HE CAN'T EVEN FLOW. SO HOW DEEP IS YOUR LUV, NOT DEEPER 
THAN MOTHER LUV.  SO GIVE IT UP TO THE STRONG WOMAN, GIVE IT 
UP TO THE ONE UP ABOVE. FROM BRINGING A LUV SUCH AS MOTHER LUV. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Letrisee Lawson (c) Nycole23@aol.com