21 Beautiful Mother's Day Poems That Will Make Mom Feel Loved

Look no further for the perfect message for your Mother's Day card.

mothers day poems mother holding daughter
Getty Images

There are few jobs as tough as being a mother. No matter how a person becomes a mom, the journey is often just as taxing as it is rewarding. And though wonderful mamas should be appreciated each and every day, you should definitely make sure the moms in your life know just how much you love, appreciate, and value them on Mother's Day, which takes place on May 8 this year. For some, finding the right words to express how you feel can be challenging, and that's where Mother’s Day poems come in handy.

Of course, your Mother's Day celebrations don't have to be limited to the woman who birthed you. You can use the day to show appreciation for your grandmother, adoptive mother, mother-in-law, step-mom, guardian, or anyone else who served as a maternal figure in your life. Whether you choose to say "I love you" with a thoughtful gift, a homemade brunch, a cute DIY craft, or simply with some quality time, a beautiful poem about Mother's Day can help add meaning to the day. Even though the words won’t come directly from you, the special mom or moms in your life will still weep over the heartfelt message written by Rupi Kaur, Christy Ann Martine, Lang Leav, and George Cooper, among others.

Write one of these thoughtful poems inside her card or read one aloud during whatever activity you have planned. Whether you deliver your note in the mail, over the phone, or in person, these Mother's Day poems are sure to show your mom what she means to you on May 8 (and every day, for that matter).

mothers day poems pat oreilly
Woman's Day/Getty Images
1 of 21
"Wonderful Mother"

God made a wonderful mother,
A mother who never grows old;
He made her smile of the sunshine,
And He molded her heart of pure gold;
In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,
In her cheeks fair roses you see;
God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to me.

— Pat O'Reilly

mothers day poems george cooper
Woman's Day/Getty Images
2 of 21
"Only One Mother"

Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of lambs in the sunny weather.
Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.

— George Cooper

mothers day poems nikita gill
Woman's Day/Getty Images
3 of 21
"Mother"

The water of her womb, your first home
The body she pulled apart to welcome you to the world.
The spirit in you she helped grow with all she knew.
The heart that she gave you when yours fell apart.
You are her soft miracle.
So she gave you her eyes to see the best in the worst.
You carry your mother in your eyes.
Make her proud of all she watches you do.

— Nikita Gill

mothers day quotes rupi kaur
Woman's Day/Getty Images
4 of 21
"I Will Have to Wait Until I'm a Mother"

i struggle so deeply
to understand
how someone can
pour their entire soul
blood and energy
into someone
without wanting
anything in
return

— Rupi Kaur

mothers day poems joanna fuchs
Woman's Day/Getty Images
5 of 21
"Everything Mom"

How did you find the energy, Mom
To do all the things you did,
To be teacher, nurse and counselor
To me, when I was a kid.
How did you do it all, Mom
Be a chauffeur, cook and friend?
Yet find time to be a playmate,
I just can’t comprehend.
I see now it was love, Mom
That made you come whenever I’d call,
Your inexhaustible love, Mom
And I thank you for it all.

— Joanna Fuchs

mothers day poems christy ann martine
Woman's Day/Getty Images
6 of 21
"A Mother"

A mother wraps her love
around the heart of her child,
keeping each beat steady
through the rhythm of life
until wings take shape
and it's time for the soul
to take flight.

— Christy Ann Martine

mothers day poems sharlynn n manning
Woman's Day/Getty Images
7 of 21
"My Heart"

She's always been there for me.
Just talking to her can make me happy.
She tells me of the hard times she's been through
In hopes that I won't go through them, too.

She's an independent woman of stature and grace.
She has beautiful eyes and a lovely face,
An audacious strength from deep inside.
In her I know I can confide.

She's my guardian angel who'll always be
A very special part of me.
She takes pride in caring for her kin.
She gives us hope and things to believe in.

If I didn't have her there for me,
I wouldn't be half the woman I turned out to be.

— Sharlynn N. Manning

mothers day poems  herman vymislicky
Woman's Day/Getty Images
8 of 21
"Dear Mother"

I'm writing you to tell you that I love you
Something I hardly ever do.
I never tell you enough how much I love you and
It's something I must do.

I need to let you know mother how much
You really mean to me
So I'm telling you now you mean the world to me.
I need to thank you for all you do for me.

Your unconditional love toward me means a lot to me.
You've never turned your back on me and
I know it's something you'll never do.
Anytime I need someone to talk to
You're always there to help me through

And anytime I need a favor you always seem
To be there, too
There's nothing in this world that I could do
To pay you back for all you do.

When God gave me to you,
That's the best thing he could ever do,
So this poem is dedicated to you
Because I don't know how else to say
Thank You.

— Herman Vymislicky

mothers day poems karl fuchs
Woman's Day/Getty Images
9 of 21
"What 'Mother' Means"

"Mother" is such a simple word,
But to me there’s meaning seldom heard.
For everything I am today,
My mother’s love showed me the way.
I’ll love my mother all my days,
For enriching my life in so many ways.
She set me straight and then set me free,
And that’s what the word "mother" means to me.

— Karl Fuchs

mothers day poems howard johnson
Woman's Day/Getty Images
10 of 21
"M - O - T - H - E - R"

“M” is for the million things she gave me,
“O” means only that she’s growing old,
“T” is for the tears she shed to save me,
“H” is for her heart of purest gold,
“E” is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
“R” means right, and right she’ll always be,
Put them all together, they spell “MOTHER,”
A word that means the world to me.

— Howard Johnson

mothers day poems helen steiner rice
Woman's Day/Getty Images
11 of 21
"A Mother's Love"

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

— Helen Steiner Rice

mothers day poems lang leav
Woman's Day/Getty Images
12 of 21
"A Thank You Note"

You have told me
All the things
I need to hear
Before I knew
I needed to hear them
To be unafraid
Of all the things
I used to fear,
Before I knew
I shouldn’t fear them.

— Lang Leav

mothers day poems lola ridge
Woman's Day/Getty Images
13 of 21
"Mother"

Your love was like moonlight
turning harsh things to beauty,
so that little wry souls
reflecting each other obliquely
as in cracked mirrors...
beheld in your luminous spirit
their own reflection,
transfigured as in a shining stream,
and loved you for what they are not.

You are less an image in my mind
I see you in gleams
pale as star-light on a gray wall...
evanescent as the reflection of a white swan
shimmering in broken water.

— Lola Ridge

mothers day poems nayyirah waheed
Woman's Day/Getty Images
14 of 21
"Land"

My
mother
was
my first country,
The first place I ever lived.

— Nayyirah Waheed

mothers day poems christina rossetti
Woman's Day/Getty Images
15 of 21
"To My Mother"

To-day's your natal day;
Sweet flowers I bring:
Mother, accept, I pray
My offering.
And may you happy live,
And long us bless:
Receiving as you give
Great happiness.

— Christina Rossetti

mothers day poems jodi l landes
Woman's Day/Getty Images
16 of 21
"Mother"

A mother loves right from the start,
No matter if her children are near or far apart.
A mother gives never-ending love.
She gives us comfort and peace like a beautiful dove.

For us she will always do her best,
Even when we put her patience to the test.
She wipes our tears,
Chases away our fears,

Encourages us to follow a dream,
No matter how far fetched it may seem.
Her gifts can never compare to any other.
I am so honored to call her my mother.

Looking back on another year,
I was so lucky to have a mother so dear.
So Mom, on your special day, relax and enjoy
And always know that I couldn't have asked for any other
More incredible person to call my mother.

— Jodi L. Landes

mothers day poems henry ward beecher
Woman's Day/Getty Images
17 of 21
"When God Thought of Mother"

When God thought of mother,
He must have laughed with satisfaction,
and framed it quickly —so rich, so deep, so divine,
so full of soul, power, and beauty,
was the conception.

— Henry Ward Beecher

mothers day poems nicholas gordon
Woman's Day/Getty Images
18 of 21
"Mothers Are the Gardeners"

Mothers are the gardeners
Of wind-blown wild flowers.
They water them with happy tears,
Happy with them many years,
Even as the hours
Ring with sweet, sad melodies
Sighing through their bowers.

— Nicholas Gordon

mothers day poems renee duvall
Woman's Day/Getty Images
19 of 21
"If I Knew As a Child"

If I knew as a child what I know now, Mom,
I probably wouldn't have made things
so hard for you.

I would have understood
that you were looking out for my best interest,
even though it may not have seemed so at the time.

I would have known how difficult it is to let go,
to stand back and let someone you love
learn from their mistakes.

I would have realized
how fortunate I was to have a mother
who was always there for me,
even after an argument,
even after I'd said things
I shouldn't have.

While it's too late for a lot of things
it's not too late for me to tell you
that I appreciate how loving you are,
how giving you've always been
and that even though
I may not always be good at showing it,
I love you very much.

— Renee Duvall

mothers day poems carol matthews
Woman's Day/Getty Images
20 of 21
"A Mother's Day"

A Mother loves right from the start.
She holds her baby close to her heart.
The bond that grows will never falter.
Her love is so strong it will never alter.

A Mother gives never ending Love.
She never feels that she has given enough.
For you she will always do her best.
Constantly working, there's no time to rest.

A Mother is there when things go wrong.
A hug and a kiss to help us along.
Always there when we need her near.
Gently wipes our eyes when we shed a tear.

So on this day shower your Mother with Love.
Gifts and presents are nice but that is not enough.
Give your Mother a day to have some peace of mind.
Be gentle, be good, be helpful, be kind.

— Carol Matthews

mothers day poems rick kempa
Woman's Day/Getty Images
21 of 21
"Prayer for My Mother"

Let every moment of every day
break upon her with the dazzle of
utter newness, and let her exult in it.

Let wonder rule: the sky more lovely
than she's ever seen, the birds that
come by the hundred to her feeder.

Please let her forget that she does not
remember. Let her lose somehow
the torment of losing her mind.

Let there be insight in the one page that,
over and over for days, she reads
for the first time, never gets beyond.

Let the living past be vibrant in her
dreams each night, her mother, her brother
at her side, showering her with love.

Please let her eyes open in the morning
not to the despair of the lost at sea,
but to the familiar play of sunlight

in the leaves outside her window,
the solid sense that she is safe,
the firm ground of home.

— Rick Kempa

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
More From Mother's Day