| Show MOTHER MANTI Arthur Carpenter First Prize Non-Professional Poetry Cities have personalities likewarrior cold and hard Ordelicate princess polished and proud Manti is Mother--nurturing caring selfless--from her wombsaw lifefirst light She was born in the chill of November of great travail and sacrifice Grown to majesty in simplicity--small in stature large in virtue Powerful in lowliness An islet of constancy inturbulent world-A rock of refuge balm for the heavy heart we visit her And come away renewed Her smile the temple It shines down upon us protectively tenderly as we sleep The hills are her arms they enfold us and draw us safely To her bosom soft The meadowed valley her lap where we once played and durst now lay our head In trust and peace Each scattered child she numbers maternal bond That no force can break MOTHER MANTI to Thee all hail honor and veneration |
