Introduction
Funny Mother’s Day poems do not always need to sound like modern greeting-card jokes. Sometimes the sweetest laugh comes from an old nursery rhyme, a playful household scene, a talking dog, a stubborn child, or a mother figure who somehow keeps the whole little world moving. This collection brings together short funny Mother’s Day poems, funny Mother’s Day poems for cards, funny Mother’s Day poems from kids, and light classic verses that can make Mom smile without using copyrighted modern material.
Most of the poems below are traditional Mother Goose rhymes, which makes them useful for handmade cards, classroom recitations, preschool and kindergarten activities, Mother’s Day assemblies, and short messages for moms who enjoy old-fashioned humor. A few short public-domain poems by classic poets are also included for readers who want a gentler, more heartfelt card ending. If you want more uplifting reading after these playful verses, you may also enjoy browsing Inspirational Poems.
Funny Mother's Day Poem for Cards
Selected Poems
Family PoemsOld Mother Hubbard and Her Dog
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To get her poor Dog a bone;
But when she came there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor Dog had none.
She went to the baker’s
To buy him some bread,
But when she came back
The poor Dog was dead.
She went to the joiner’s
To buy him a coffin,
But when she came back
The poor Dog was laughing,
She took a clean dish
To get him some tripe,
But when she came back
He was smoking a pipe.
She went to the alehouse
To get him some beer,
But when she came back
The Dog sat in a chair.
She went to the tavern
For white wine and red,
But when she came back
The Dog stood on his head.
She went to the hatter’s
To buy him a hat,
But when she came back
He was feeding the cat.
She went to the barber’s
To buy him a wig,
But when she came back
He was dancing a jig.
She went to the fruiterer’s
To buy him some fruit,
But when she came back
He was playing the flute.
She went to the tailor’s
To buy him a coat,
But when she came back
He was riding a goat.
She went to the cobbler’s
To buy him some shoes,
But when she came back
He was reading the news.
She went to the sempstress
To buy him some linen,
But when she came back
The Dog was a-spinning.
She went to the hosier’s
To buy him some hose,
But when she came back
He was dressed in his clothes.
The Dame made a curtsey,
The Dog made a bow;
The Dame said, “Your servant,”
The Dog said, “Bow wow.”
This wonderful Dog
Was Dame Hubbard’s delight;
He could sing, he could dance,
He could read, he could write.
She gave him rich dainties
Whenever he fed,
And erected a monument
When he was dead.
Overview Short Summary
This playful poem follows Old Mother Hubbard as she tries to care for her dog, only to find him doing increasingly ridiculous things. The humor comes from surprise: every time she returns, the dog has moved from helpless to theatrical, clever, and almost human.
Card Idea Why It Works for Mother's Day
For a funny Mother’s Day card, this poem works because it turns ordinary caretaking into comedy. It can suit a mom who loves pets, old nursery rhymes, silly family humor, or a handmade card from kids.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is playful, absurd, and cheerful. The mood is light and comic, making it better for funny Mother’s Day poems for cards than for a serious tribute.
Poetic Form Rhyme Scheme and Structure
The poem uses short rhyming couplets and repeated situations. The repeated pattern makes it easy for children to recite and helps the humor build as each new surprise appears.
Old Mother Goose
Old Mother Goose, when
She wanted to wander,
Would ride through the air
On a very fine gander.
Overview Short Summary
This tiny rhyme imagines Mother Goose flying through the air on a gander. It is brief, whimsical, and easy to place inside a short Mother’s Day card.
Reader Use Best Use
Use this as a short funny Mother’s Day poem for a mom, mum, grandma, teacher, or classroom activity when the card needs something quick and charming.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is imaginative and playful. The mood feels childlike and light, which makes the verse suitable for kids’ cards and preschool Mother’s Day poems.
Old Mother Twitchett
Old Mother Twitchett had but one eye,
And a long tail which she let fly;
And every time she went through a gap,
A bit of her tail she left in a trap.
Overview Short Summary
This is a riddle-like nursery rhyme. “Old Mother Twitchett” is usually read as a playful image of a needle and thread, which gives the poem its odd, comic charm.
Card Idea Why It Works for Cards
This short funny Mother’s Day poem can work for a mom who sews, crafts, quilts, fixes clothes, or enjoys clever old riddles. It is especially useful for handmade Mother’s Day cards.
Craft Literary Devices
- Riddle: The poem describes an object as if it were a person.
- Personification: A needle and thread are turned into “Old Mother Twitchett.”
- Rhyme: The simple rhyme makes the verse easy to remember.
Shall We Go A-Shearing?
“Old woman, old woman, shall we go a-shearing?”
“Speak a little louder, sir, I am very thick of hearing.”
“Old woman, old woman, shall I kiss you dearly?”
“Thank you, kind sir, I hear you very clearly.”
Overview Short Summary
This short dialogue poem turns a hearing joke into a quick comic exchange. The old woman suddenly hears clearly when the question becomes more flattering.
Reader Use Best Use
This is better for adults than very young children. It can suit a funny Mother’s Day message for a mum, grandma, nana, or mother-in-law who enjoys old-fashioned wit.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is teasing and humorous. The mood is lively because the poem feels like a miniature comic scene.
Whistle, Daughter, Whistle
“Whistle, daughter, whistle;
Whistle, daughter dear.”
“I cannot whistle, mammy,
I cannot whistle clear.”
“Whistle, daughter, whistle;
Whistle for a pound.”
“I cannot whistle, mammy,
I cannot make a sound.”
Overview Short Summary
This poem shows a simple mother-daughter exchange. The mother encourages the daughter to whistle, but the daughter keeps insisting that she cannot.
Card Idea Why It Works for Mother's Day
For a funny Mother’s Day poem from daughter, this verse works because it captures a familiar family moment: Mom asks, the child tries, and the answer still stays stubbornly honest.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is affectionate and lightly comic. The mood is gentle rather than loud, making it good for daughter-to-mom cards or classroom recitation.
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