This month, Molly Hogan challenged the Sunday Night Swaggers to write a poem from a favorite line. The prompt can be found here. The idea is to find a line from a book or poem and use the line as your title. Write the poem, then change the title.
I recently had a pleasant email exchange with a friend. She sent me this Rumi poem, The Guest House. I took the line “This human being is a guest house.”
Mothers are on my mind lately as my oldest daughter gave birth to her second child, a daughter, on Monday, Nov. 30th. I was able to be there with her. There is nothing as wonderful and miraculous as childbirth. The baby, Stella Ross, did not cry. She was plump and pink and fine, but she didn’t cry. Amazing! She has since cried, but only when she’s uncomfortable, and she settles back down easily. She is truly an angel from heaven.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Mother is Home
Mothers welcome
a child’s tears
with embrace.Joy lives here, too,
unexpected grace
of forgiveness.She carries your furniture,
dusts it with lemon-scented Pledge,
scrubs the mud from the floor
you tread.You do not have to be grateful.
You don’t have to say, “I love you.”
You don’t have to say anything.She will hold your hand,
kiss the scratch, place the band-aid on.No flourish.
Margaret Simon, draft
She is your home.
Read other poems from this challenge:
Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
Reflections on the Teche 
What a lovely post from the first to last word. You got to be there! Yay! How wonderful and special for all of you. I love the layered meaning of ‘a mother is home.’ Oh, if we could tell all young mothers all the things…but we cannot. We can write poems that come close, like yours does. Good job, Grand momma. Your draft is a gift.
*swoon* Your poem is beyond beautiful as is your new grandbaby. Being a mom is so complex yet so basic, she is home. 🙂
I’m happy for the new child to be welcomed by family, and by a beautiful poem, too, Margaret. This morning I read an article about the struggles of mothers during this time, to keep helping their children for school, to keep home going. There is a world you have shown in that one line, “Mother is home”. Congratulations to all & welcome to Stella Ross.
Margaret,
This is gorgeous! ❤
Jan Miller Burkins, Ed.D. JMB Consulting, LLC drjanburkins.com @janmillburk
On Fri, Dec 4, 2020 at 7:04 AM Reflections on the Teche wrote:
> margaretsmn posted: ” Poetry Friday round-up is with Mary Lee at A Year of > Reading. This month, Molly Hogan challenged the Sunday Night Swaggers to > write a poem from a favorite line. The prompt can be found here. The idea > is to find a line from a book or poem and use th” >
What a gorgeous bundle of joy, congratulations to you all on the arrival of Stella Ross! How real and tender your poem is, and your line “mother is home” encompasses all, lovely, thanks Margaret!
Beautiful! Congratulations, Margaret!
Beautiful photo – I celebrate the coming of your little “star” and the joy she brings. Glad to know mother and baby are well. Your poem – how deeply it communicates motherlove. It is especially moving as you are the one writing it as your daughter has her own daughter. A mother is home – to generations, like nesting dolls. Your lines “You do not have to be …” remind me of Mary Oliver’s “Wild Geese.” Motherlove is fierce. Powerfully but gently communicated.
How wonderful that you were able to be there to welcome Stella Rose into the world and into the circle of your family’s love. Your poem is beautiful and I especially like that final line: “She is your home.”
What a beautiful bundle… what a blessing! I am so happy for you and your family. Thank you for sharing this lovely poem and photo.
Congratulations, Margaret & family! Stella Ross is beautiful! Your poem is full of the grace and truth of motherhood: “She is your home.”
Margaret, thank you for sharing the photo of Maggie and Baby Stella-such an endearing picture. Your poem is a beautiful outgrowth of the line you chose from the Rumi poem (I am bookmarking this one). Each line of your poem holds a sensitive touch filled with the wisdom of motherhood. “She is your home.” This poem is more than a draft. it is heartfelt and joyous as is the occasion you are celebrating. May God Bless your Family.
What a beautiful poem–and granddaughter! So many congratulations on Stella, Margaret. She and Leo are both so lucky to have you. My local grandmother was a stern, unloving woman, and my loving grandmother lived far away across the country, and I only met her 5 or 6 times. Your relationships with your grandchildren are pure poetry
What a lovely baby! Congratulations. Your poem made me think about my mother–“You don’t have to say anything.” A mother just loves.
Your poem and Jama’s sing to each other. I LOVE when that happen in the PF Roundup!
Congratulations all around, and best wishes for a big beautiful life to our newest star — Stella.
This brought tears to my eyes. So beautiful! Congratulations on this perfect new little one to love. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com