Lyr Add: Remember / O Son Remember My Love Today

Subject: Lyr Add: REMEMBER
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Feb 20 - 06:31 PM

Lyrics below are taken from:

Union Pacific Employes' Magazine (Vol. 1, Dec., 1886), page 333—although I have adjusted the spelling and punctuation to suit my own preferences.

Nearly identical copies appear in:

The Irish Standard (Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota, Vol. 3, No. 19, Saturday, March 12, 1887), page 6, column 1.

The Democrat (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., North Carolina; Vol. 8, No. 22, March 31, 1892), page 1, column 2.

Google indicates the same poem probably appears in these publications, although you won't be able to see it unless you subscribe to newspapers.com:

The American Nonconformist and Kansas Industrial Liberator (Winfield, Kansas, Thursday, Oct. 14, 1886), page 1.

The Waterford News (Waterford, Ireland, Friday, Dec. 3, 1886), page 4.

The Union Republican (Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Thursday, Dec. 14, 1922), page 7.


REMEMBER.*

The mother sat still, with snow-white hair, so feeble and thin and pale;
The son at her side, in manhood's pride, was ruddy and tall and hale;
So ready of hand, so fleet of foot, so haughty in his might,
That he oft forgot the tender care that was still the mother's right;

That the careless wrong and the cruel word were easy to do and say;
Till sorely wounded, with flushing cheeks, she answered him thus one day:
"If only the past could speak, my son, if thou wouldst remember right,
How I carried thee in these trembling arms, and toiled for thee day and night;

"Loving and guiding, and watching thee, till the years have made thee strong;
If only thou wouldst remember this, thou never wouldst do me wrong;
For now I am cast upon thy love; I am frail and old and gray.
O son that I nursed long years ago, remember my love today!"

He dropped by her knee, as in olden times, her pardon and love to seek.
Her gray head bowed to his young brown head, and her tears were on his cheek;
And ever since, in his heart she trusts, in his strong young arms has rest,
For he never forgets that once he lay an infant upon her breast.

O men in your strength and hope and joy; O maids in your youthful charms:
Remember that wailing infants once you lay in your mother's arms!
Remember she then was fair and {young/strong}; that you will grow old and gray;
That the wrong or the right you do to her will come back to your hearts some day!


* The Democrat (see above) attributes this poem to "Lillie E. Harr" which is probably a misprint for Lillie E. Barr, who was a frequent contributor of newspaper poetry.

Subject: Lyr Add: O SON REMEMBER MY LOVE TODAY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Feb 20 - 06:39 PM

This is my transcription from the Internet Archive; I have boldfaced the words that are different from the above:


O SON REMEMBER MY LOVE TODAY
As recorded by the McNulty Family, Decca (12196), 1938.

The mother sat still, with snow-white hair, so feeble and worn with care;
The son at her side, in manhood's pride, was ruddy and tall and fair;
So ready of hand, and fleet of foot, so haughty in his might,
That he oft forgot the tender care that was still his mother's right;

That the careless wrong and the cruel word were easy to do and say;
Till sorely wounded, with flushing cheeks, she answered him thus one day:
"If only the past could speak, my son, if thou wouldst remember right,
How I carried thee in these trembling arms, and toiled for thee day and night;

"Loving and guiding, and watching thee, till the years have made thee strong;
If only thou wouldst remember this, you never could do me wrong;
For now I am cast upon thy love; I am feeble and old and gray.
O son that I nursed long years ago, remember my love today!"

He dropped by her knee, as in olden days, her pardon and love to seek.
Her gray head bowed to his young brown head, and the tears were on her cheek;
And ever since, in his heart she trusts, in his strong young arms has rest,
For he never forgets that once he lay an infant upon her breast.

O men in your strength and hope and joy; O maids in your youthful charms:
Remember that wailing infants once you lay in your mother's arms!
Remember she then was fair and strong and that you will grow old and gray;
That the wrong or the right you do to her will come back to your self some day!