A Sonnet for Mother’s Day

One of the more unusual applications of Poe’s writings occurred in the 1920s-1940s, when his “Sonnet to My Mother” was adapted for use on Mother’s Day plaques. From Poe’s full poem, only a portion of the first stanza was used, the rest being too specific to Poe’s own circumstances and relating to the death of his wife, Virginia — lovely and heart-felt, but hardly suitable as a generic Mother’s Day gift. The portion used is as follows:

The variety of such plaques was extraordinary, and many have survived in surprisingly good condition. Most are colorful images in ornate wooden frames, but a later oval version is known. Most of these plaques, picking up on the line about “Angels in Heaven”, feature some form of angels and, acknowledging the purpose of the holiday, a mother and child (examples 1 and 3). Others are just attractive designs, allowing Poe’s verse to set the tone (example 2). Sizes vary widely.

(The selected examples displayed here are reproduced, with permission, from a private collection.)