Family First

 

As you read this poem this Mothers’ Day

Please do not be offended,

I would never put mothers down

So that’s not what I intended.

I implore us now to look again

At how mothers came to be,

Our focus especially on such days

Should be on the family.

I speak not only of Mothers’ Day

But Fathers’ Day as well,

Without one the other could not be

So it’s time we make them gel.

How wonderful it would be

If both these days families sit together

And as we celebrate the family

That would be so much better.

Of course in such a context

We could still single out the mothers

And when Fathers’ day comes around

Again we’d bring the family together.

When we make mothers sit together

And then proceed to celebrate

We could easily send a wrong signal

That says it’s all right to discriminate.

Big up fathers and big up mothers

And big up the entire family too,

With every opportunity that we get

We should propagate this view.

We live in interesting times

Where the family is being redefined

And the schools our children attend

Put strange things in their minds.

“A father can be a mother

And a mother can be a father

And two of the same can live together

And that should not be a bother.”

  

But this could never be right

For the children would be confused

So by celebrating the authentic family

This notion can be diffused.

Through the procreation process

Fathers and mothers came about

So the encouragement of two of the same

Throws the family out.

They can cohabit all they like

I mean two fathers or two mothers

But at the end of their fervent trip

They wouldn’t produce another.

They need one another

The Creator designed it this way

And if ever two of the same produce a child

I tell you that would be the day.

Church, it’s time to set the trend

Put family first on both these days,

Celebrate fathers and mothers and children too

For this is the family way.

To put one up is to put one down

Big them up together,

It’ll take some gumption to move this way

But that’s the nature of trendsetters.

By our practice we’ve given ground

To some questionable ideas

And by our limp and token response

We’ve allowed some to have their way.

We need to arrest the deterioration

And put back the family first,

Fathers and mothers in their rightful place

Or for our society, “It’s goodnight nurse”.

So on this Mothers’ Day

I am trumpeting a clarion call

Let Mothers’ Day be Family Day

And so too Fathers’ Day and all.

The time has come to be militant

Notice the approach of the foe,

Strengthen the family ties that remain

Come on families let’s go!

Let every day be family day

Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day too

And raise our children as God demands

And perpetuate the biblical view.

Stewart Russell © May 2018