This poem truly expresses what comes from a mother's heart. When my son was about to turn 18, I decided to start writing poetry again. This was one of the first poems I wrote. It is an intimate detail of how I feel about him.

I gave it to him on his 18th birthday last month. He sobbed uncontrollably as he read it.

This poem originally was published in Poems on Life - Family Poems

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Your Gift To Me
by Joyce Sousa
Dear Christopher,

Let me try to describe the gift that you have given to me,
Although, I believe that will be a major undertaking.
Since it is quite difficult to describe in ordinary language.
Your arrival 18 years ago was unmistakably
Marked with anxious trepidation.
The journey you undertook
Was not of a scheduled nature,
But more of a conscious decision.
By far, the finest creative gift was you.
For when you emerged into my world,
I became reborn
With my heart so willing to share its wealth.
There you were, a small wonder; a tiny reflection
Of combined traits which would ultimately be recreated
Into the distinctive person you have become.
I never realized that my heart
Was so willing to share so much love
With a stranger so small and needy.
You didn't arrive with instructions
It was strictly learn as you go.
I remember the first time you crawled
Army style on your belly for the longest time.
You walked with support for those many months
But when it came to taking those first steps,
Long after the cake and ice cream that I
Really didn't want you to eat.
It wasn't until that one day, totally unexpected that
You did it all by yourself.
From then on, it seemed to get a little bit easier
Since you had this great disposition
And that smile that went all the way across.
You had a little sister on the way.
And you became that special big brother
That you turned out to be.
Sharing and loving
Was not something that you had to learn.
Even at that young age,
You became the teacher.
Ever so patient, so caring, so you.
To carry on a family trait that you will certainly pass on.
As you grew, you obtained a wonderful gift of laughter
I offered you the tools to learn and trust and to be a confident person.
You showed me that you can be an independent person.
That day you climbed on to the enormous, yellow school bus for the first time
You looked so small, yet so ready to embark upon a new venture.
It rolled down the street
And so did those tears in my eyes
Not because I was sad but because a new chapter in your life was beginning.
You are an intelligent, sensible, affectionate and sympathetic person,
Who always seems to be there for those whose lives you touch.
You have an extraordinary enthusiasm and passion for learning.
You have the ability to communicate your inner most thoughts,
Where so many your age do not.
I am blessed for that.
Now, you will be going off on your own
Making decisions that you may not be able to pass by me
That will affect your life.
You may fall down
But I know that you will always pick yourself up
And begin again.
I never thought that I would look up to someone your age
But that has become evident.
As you look at us side by side; the bond will not be broken.
The stranger that entered my life not so long ago,
Has certainly been transformed into a young man.
That I am proud to call . . .
My son.
© 1999 Joyce Sousa Please respect the rights of the author and Passions in Poetry. If you would like to use this poem on your own web page, please contact the Author. Thank you.
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46 Visitor Comments (from the Voting form)
  • Karin
    Mrs Joyce Sousa, Your poem is soo touching!I'm a first time mother and even know my son is still small,I have all Hoppes for him to do well in this world. Personally I never feared life so much as i do now for his well being. All the toughts about everything we need to teach,and the responsability we accepted from day one to keep our little ones save,well,happy and wiser. Your poem is a mothers heart,our happinness on all big achievements you saw your little one do,and i slowly see mine doing. Congratulations on Your Son. God Bless!
  • Robin
    My son is having a rough time right now and this poem will help let him know just how special he is to me and how special my life is with him in it. Thank you for having Christopher and deciding to go back to writing poems!
  • luisana
    joyce, ur letter to your son touched my heart incrediably, i ended up in tears before i even finished reading it. I am a first time mom. I am as any mom would be, scared of this big responsability God has placed in front of me. Your letter truly inspired me. Mother hood is something you learn as you go and as you said it raising a baby doesn't come with instructions =}. Thank you for sharing your poem with us. As a single mother i'am glad to hear that even though life can be hard bringing a baby to this world is reward all on it's own. May God bless you and your family.
  • Mary
    I love this poem. I am a single mom of a grown son and this peom says everything that I ever felt or feel about my baby. 22 year old. but you are so right about the love that is between mother and son is unbreakable.
  • wane
    great poem - amazing - as stated in email to author thank you farewell for now wane x
  • Karen
    AWESOME!
  • Tracy
    Although my two sons are still young (8 and 5), I could really identify with all of those feelings so eloquently communicated in this poem. My greatest gift in this life has been motherhood. Thanks for the good cry. :0)
  • trina
    This poem especially touch me because my son is about to turn 18. And I think back to the beginning when I first found out that I was pregnant and how over proctective I became. I thank the Lord for such a wonderful young man that he has because through all the ups and never downs of becoming a young man. That why this poem touch my heart.
  • mariah
    good good good thats all i caN SAY
  • Brandi
    Your poem really touched me. Although my son is only 7, I can only imagine how I am going to feel when he is 18. He has a young sister as well and has learned to adjust so perfectly, making him the greatest big brother I could have ever dreamed. Thank you for your words, and the wisdom I will soon someday need. Brandi
  • kiki
    it is. inspirational
  • Deb
    By the time I had read this poem I had tears rolling down my face, this poem really touched my heart and related so much to me & my son, the difficult times you go through but at the end of the day mother & son love & honour. Thank You
  • Miyon
    I cried when I read this poem as I have a son who just turned 18 also . Its exactly how I felt to the TEE , THANK YOU
  • Eleanor
    We had five sons, we lost two of them. This poem brings back so many memories! Thanks
  • Jodi
    This is an awsome poem. My son is turning 18 yrs. old tomorrow and I wanted to find a poem for him. As I read this one, it took me back in time as I was a very young mother when I had my son. This poem reminds me exactly of our lives, every word in it does. Thanks for writing such a great poem! I am going to give it to my son on his birthday.
  • Wendy
    i love this poem!1 the tears rolled down my face! i have a son who is 16 and his name is christopher and this touched my heart so much. it was like you read my mind!
  • Eudelia
    Wow! This poem just swelled my eyes to where I could not see the monitor anymore. Joyce, this is a beautiful poem. I, too, have a son. He is only five years old, and he is the apple of my eye just as my eleven year daughter is too. But, I empathize with you when write about how you feel about your son. As mothers, we all know that the little stranger that has come into our lives will one day get up and leave and become the man that he was taught to become. Well done, Joyce!
  • carla
    this touched my heart as a mother. my children are my world and watching them grow is so hard in that mommy way. her words were so perfect.
  • Michele
    it expressed exactly how I feel as a mother of a wonderful son who has added more to my life in 27 years than I ever imagined possible
  • Sandra
    This poem especially touched my heart because I have a son Christopher who had a difficult time growing up. He had a hard time with authority and took the hard road all along his way through life. I did everything I could to protect him and try to get him to believe me that we only wanted the best for him. He is 18 now and finally on the right road. I asked him the other day if thought I gave up on him or didn't try hard enough and he said to me, "No mum I just had to do it my way and you did not fail me. " Thank you
  • Bubs
    This is so like a mother's love for her Son. Joyce has put into words what so many mothers' like me feel for our Sons.
  • Shelly
    Joyce, I was so touched by your poem, as I have a son who sounds very much like yours. He is now a USMC Sgt. and father of a lovely baby girl. I plan on forwarding your poem to him, even though he is a little bit older. Thanks.
  • Gretchen
    This is such a beautiful, beautiful poem! It moved me to tears. I have a son that is 21 now and a daughter that is 16. And I totally relate to this poem with Jeff. A Mother's bond is a different type of a bond with a son than what it is with a daughter. Not stronger, just different. And this poem says it all. Thank you for this beautiful poem. Gretchen Barker
  • Michelle
    This poem means so much to me i feel like it is me and my son who is 16yrs old.
  • Fahlma Azra
    i like it. it touch my inner self
  • ANGELA
    I must say that tears rolled down my face on this one. My son will turn twenty in a few weeks and not a word written could show more love than what was written here. I felt each step of growth and remembered emotions that only a mother knows, Lets hope the receiver of this poem knows how much he is loved, for the rest of us do. Thank you
  • David
    This poem really inspired me. I have been deealing with the tremendous change into college. Within the past few weeks, my mother and I have fallen short of expressing our feelings in the best of ways. The two of us have always been so close and lately we both have had our problems and the work truly made me realize that although life throws curve balls that we wish not to have, we still need to stay close to those we love. Being the only son of my mother, I am inspired to make her proud every day instead of frustrated. I thank you for this amazing piece.
  • Becky
    Just WONDERFUL! The best poem I have ever read from a mother to her son. It touched me heart being a mother of 2 sons. THANKS SO MUCH
  • Carla
    I have a son who is almost 18 and will be graduating this year and it touched my heart, I'm thinking of giving it to him also. Thanks!
  • Marylou
    I can relay. Absolutely beautiful! Perfect!
  • jodie
    well let me start with this much you hit it right on the nail when it comes to your poem and your son it takes me back to me and my son . this poem is wounderful and i want to thank you for writting this and treasuring your son as you do. you must be a mom just like me that treasures each and every day that you have with your children
  • ANTOYA
    VERY BEAUTIFUL FOR I ALSO HAVE A SON MATTHEW CHRISTOPHER WHO IS 14 NOW. A #1 VOTE FROM MOTHER TO OUR FIRST SON. LOVE IT
  • steve
    I'm a 43 year old man and my oldest Son just turned 18, All those things you said brought tears to my eyes, My Daughter is 16 and I miss them allready and they're not even gone yet. Wonderful Poem. Unconditional Love (IS) all it's cracked up to be.
  • Nuraz
    this poem is so nice. i wish my parentz wld b more like u. :(
  • traci
    Your strong emotional bond with your son brought tears to my eyes. more than once. as i read through your poem. I too have a son who's little sister is only 12 months behind. Our journey has only just begun. They are just 2 and 3 years old. Beautiful Poem.
  • Angel
    My four-year-old son just took his first bus ride to his first day of school. I was so proud of him. I see that very same feeling in your poem. I look up to my son as well and he is only four. I cried reading this beautiful poem.
  • Jenni
    Awesome-i have a daughter, but i hope that someday i will be able to day those things about her. Wonderful articulation and what a great birthday gift to your son! Better than any gift you could buy. Thanks!
  • Amy
    Your Poem tells so much truth. Thank you.
  • Margi
    totally awesome
  • Drue
    I found this wonderful site and then read your touching poem. As a mother two boys (no daughters), it touched a chord in me. I know my sons are my gifts from God;your poem captured it all.
  • Natasha
    The letter was so beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. Very nice.
  • Ebb
    Maybe later,I need more Kleenex right now.
  • shajan
    subtle truth, infinite strength and nothing short of the most powerful word-"MOM"
  • Robin
    This was exquisite! I also have a son named Christopher (who is a big brother to his 16 year old sister). My Christopher just turned 20. Thank you for sharing this with us!
  • Anon
    make me miss my sons so much.
  • Diane
    these words made my mind race through my own and my childs life.so true and touching.
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