Mother's Handkerchief
by Sara Etgen-Baker
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Just a little square of cotton
trimmed with a bit of lace;
she used one so many times
drying tears from her face.
That little square of cotton
she carried it everywhere;
she folded neatly, then ironed
always giving it special care.
Found them in her pockets
by the bed where she slept;
atop her well-worn Bible
one was neatly kept.
She placed one in my hand
as I walked down the aisle
a little square of cotton
along with her loving, motherly smile.
Now I hold and cherish
my mother's handkerchief;
it contains such loving memories
and helps me through my grief.
That little square of cotton
trimmed with a bit of lace;
ironed and neatly folded
and kept in a special place.
After retiring from teaching, Sara began writing memoirs and personal essays many of which have been published in anthologies and magazines including Good Old Days Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Guideposts, Times They Were A Changing, and Wisdom Has a Voice. She's currently compiling her collection into a book titled Shoebox Stories. She recently finished writing her first novel, Secrets at Dillehay Crossing. She hopes to publish both books sometime in 2025.
Story Circle’s annual poetry competition is open for submissions between April 13 and June 7, 2025. One prize of $100, one prize of $75, and one prize of $50 will be awarded. The first-place post will be published in the Story Circle Journal and all winning poems will be featured on SCN's website. Check out our website for details.
Oh Sara, such a gorgeous sentiment and such a well-written poem! I just love it. I have so many of my mother's things to keep as memories of her. I never use them. I just like to have them as remembrances, like her perfume, which I never wear, but it brings her back into the room.
I still keep my mother's apron as a memory of her.