Mary Dow Brine’s poem “Somebody’s Mother” tells the simple yet heartwarming story of a young boy’s selfless act of kindness toward an elderly woman on a cold, winter day. The narrative begins by introducing a frail, ragged, and timid woman who is trying to cross a busy, snow-covered street. As she hesitates at the crossing, the bustling crowd of passersby ignores her anxious state, leaving her to wait alone.
A group of noisy schoolboys, exuberant at the end of their day, soon arrives at the crossing. Like the adults before them, they pass the old woman by, wrapped up in their own carefree world. However, one cheerful and compassionate boy among the group notices her plight. He stops, goes to her side, and gently asks if she would like his help to cross the slippery street.
With her trembling hand on his strong young arm, the boy carefully guides her across the road, ensuring her safety. Afterwards, he explains his act of kindness to his friends, telling them, “She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know”. He expresses a hope that if his own mother were ever old and alone, someone would extend the same courtesy to her. That evening, at home, the grateful woman bows her head in prayer, asking God to “be kind to the noble boy” who showed her such compassion, recognizing him as “somebody’s son”.
