Gennie "the poet"
It is no secret that Genevieve was a lover of the performing arts and was quite a talented poet. She penned numerous poems which she recited at various events including The Jamaica Festival. She wrote anything from ‘Dub’’ to Standard English poems. She also wrote poems specially dedicated to her children, and for them to perform as well.
Of special mention is the poem, “The Ant” which was an impromptu poem written for her 2nd daughter Tamra to perform as an entrant into the “Miss Alexandria” Pageant. Tamra was 6 years old, when on the day of the competition, Gennie decided that she should enter . Tamra learned of this at the appointed time upon her arrival from school. Genevieve penned “The Ant” and Tamra learnt it immediately.
Genevieve did not allow any of her children to be shy. She encouraged them to be bold and assertive. Her love for culture and entertainment would be passed on to her children as she ensured their participation in various extracurricular activities. Jhaneille, her youngest (wash belly/miracle baby) recited poems written by mom at many events. She even performed at the installation function held for the former Commissioner of Police, Colonel Trevor McMillan.
A memorable poem was one Jhaneille performed at a Mother’s Day Function held at Islington High School.
Poems written by mom
The Ant
by Genevieve V. Brown
Why can’t we live like the Ant ?
Have you ever stopped to watch the Ants?
How they crawl and crawl and pass each other
And sometimes they seem to kiss another
So instead of fussing and fighting, stealing and backbiting
Why cant you we live like the Ant ?
The End –
MOTHER
By G. V. Brown
M is for mother she brought me into this world
O is for obedient, I must be to her
T is for teaching, she teaches me a lot of good things
H is for happy which we will always be
E is for elders, which I must respect
R is for responsibility which mothers of today must show to us.
Flowers on my shoulders
slippers on my feet
I’m mommy’s little darling
Don’t you think I’m sweet?
-The End –
Poems dedicated to mom
If Roses Grow in Heaven
By Dolores M. Garcia
If roses grow in heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother’s arms
and tell her they’re from me.
Tell her I love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile,
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for a while.
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
but there’s an ache within my heart
that will never go away.
Only One Mother
By an Unknown Author
Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of birds 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.
A Poem for Mother
By Dick Underwood
Mother, you were just a girl,
So many years ago.
You had your loves and had your dreams,
You watched us come and go.
You watched us make the same mistakes,
That you had made before,
But that just made you hold us tight,
And love us all the more.
We haven’t always thought about
The things that you have seen.
To us you’ve just been ‘Mother’,
No thought of who you’ve been.
But we remember now in love,
Your life from start to end,
And we’re just glad we knew you,
As Mother, and as Friend.
When God Thought of Mother
By Henry Ward Beecher
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.
.
An Angel
By an Unknown Author
An angel lived among us,
A gift from God above.
She showered us with kindness
And shared with us her love.
She cherished every moment
With the man who was her life;
Walking hand in hand together,
Facing life with all its strife.
She loved her children dearly,
Each one a different way,
Nestled close within her heart.
Though, now, she’s far away.
She’s gone to live with Jesus.
But, she’s here with us, today,
Smiling down on every one of us,
And telling us she’s O.K.
A Mother’s Crown
By an Unknown Author
Heaven lit up with a mighty presence,
as the Angels all looked down.
Today the Lord was placing the jewels
Into my mother’s crown.
He held up a golden crown,
as my darling mother looked on.
He said in His gentle voice,
‘I will now explain each one.’
‘The first gem,’ He said, ‘is a Ruby,
and it’s for endurance alone,
for all the nights you waited up
for your children to come home.’
‘For all the nights by their bedside,
you stayed till the fever went down.
For nursing every little wound,
I add this ruby to your crown.’
‘An emerald, I’ll place by the ruby,
for leading your child in the right way.
For teaching them the lessons,
That made them who they are today.’
‘For always being right there,
through all life’s important events.
I give you a sapphire stone,
for the time and love you spent.’
‘For untying the strings that held them,
when they grew up and left home.
I give you this one for courage.’
Then the Lord added a garnet stone.
‘I’ll place a stone of amethyst,’ He said.
‘For all the times you spent on your knees,
when you asked if I’d take care of your children,
and then for having faith in Me.’
‘I have a pearl for every little sacrifice
that you made without them knowing.
For all the times you went without,
to keep them happy, healthy and growing.’
‘And last of all I have a diamond,
the greatest one of all,
for sharing unconditional love
whether they were big or small.’
‘It was your love that helped them grow
Feeling safe and happy and proud
A love so strong and pure
It could shift the darkest cloud.’
After the Lord placed the last jewel in,
He said, ‘Your crown is now complete,
You’ve earned your place in Heaven
With your children at your feet.’