In honor of Mothers and Father’s Day, this poem is dedicated to Albert Liverman, Gene Branch, Eric and Minnie Craig, Jay Craig, Ramona Huff, The Johnsons, The McKellar’s, Ronald Wells, Lynette Murphy, Emmanuel and Hazel Rhodes, Minnie Rhodes, Carolyn Love, Cinco Thompson, Karen J. Marrow, and the many other parents who are now resting, but shaped and inspired our lives here in Princeton!

By Rev. Gregory S. Smith

We felt your hands dear mother 

They touched with love so strong

They nurtured and they fed us 

Lamenting every song;

We felt your strength dear father

Protecting rain and storm,

They stretched and birthed vast lessons

They challenged endless norms;

We heard your voice dear mother

We heed your gentle call,

Still marveling at those wondrous thoughts 

That saved us from our fall;

We watched with awe dear father 

We walk the road you paved,

No longer deemed a fearless path 

We live the dream you saved; 

We thank the Lord, dear parents

With all our force and mind,

We live, we breath more freely

Your lessons left behind; 

With every passing living day

Discovering “we” through “you”

We reach and glean your endless vault

Reclaiming fresh and new;

And now we see our children, now they see you through us

They calculate our every move, however pure and just;

Thank God for all your wisdom

Helping our journey through,

We vow to celebrate each gift

And build new dreams through you!