April 2021 Poem-A-Day Challenge, Day 30
Well, friends, today marks the last day of my poetry challenge. What a ride! I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep up with this every day, but I am so happy and proud that I did. I want to thank all of you who took the time to reach out and tell me how much you enjoyed my poems or how you found inspiration in them. Your thoughtful feedback and support mean everything, and I appreciate each one of you!
On this final day, we are (quite appropriately) writing a goodbye poem. I wanted to end things with a poem for my children, so I’ll dedicate this one to them.
I’ll Be Waving As You Walk Away
In the thick
Of day to day
So often hard to see
The things I’ll miss
With each new breath
The day they walk away
The tantrums
And the whining
The mess
And the slick backtalk
The lack of peace
And silence
The dearth of time
And freedom
Too many years
Spent pining
For all that used to be
Then one day
Around the corner
I’ll glance up
To find two babes
And an empty room
Will meet my eyes
But for the ghosts
Of their sweet faces
The bold truth
Of that reality
Will stagger and erase
The shadowed me
I’ll have become
Without their warm embrace
And then they’ll come around
All grown up
And independent
I’ll shower them
With joyful bliss
And talk of
Mine own liberty
Those memories
Of yesterday
I’ll bury deep within
Safe, under lock and key
They’ll never know
My aching pain
My sorrowed heart
The tears
I will not show
Oh no, of all that
I’ll set them free
Upon their leave
Each and every time
They’ll take a piece
Of me
And while I break
Inside my soul
The only thing
I’ll let them see
Is momma bear
Hand up in the air
Waving happily
Goodbye my loves
Stay safe
I’ll see you soon
Her silent prayer
As they slowly walk away