Temps Perdu

Cherry

By airyfairy

Fri, 21 Jul 2017
  • 3322 reads
10 comments
 

 

Temps Perdu

 

You on the step above,

Me below

Lacing the shiny, proud new shoes,

Your pink button child’s mouth pursed

As your eyes follow, with deep intent:

“One bunny ear, two bunny ears, cross them over – pull!”

 

It’s my job to give you the means

To go out into the world

And my choice that decides

When you shouldn’t.

 

“I can do the other one, Mummy.”

Your concentrated fingers labour the pattern:

“One bunny ear, two bunny ears, cross them over – pull!”

And your smile bursts above me like resplendent sunshine.

‘I can do it now, Mummy! I can do it myself!”

“Well done, darling! Clever you!”

 

And I swallow the first of my future tears

As the first of my losses skips out of the door.

 

 

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Poems

Comments

Submitted by YaseminB on

This poem is full of tenderness for offsprings. I loved it.

Yasemin Balandi

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

everything yasemin said, but the slightly ambiguous ending makes it even better 

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Pride, joy, regrets. Lovely.

Lindy

Submitted by celticman on

yes, the bunny ears bring tears. joyous. 

 

Submitted by hoalarg1 on

 this is a really sensitive piece expressing the joy of passing on something invaluable whilst at the same time letting go of something equally so.

A good read. Well done.

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Thank you all so much for reading, and for the lovely comments.  The memory certainly is both joyous and a bit sad. Those steps they take away from you just keep getting bigger and bigger!

And thank you for the scrummy cherries!

Submitted by G.A.Grim on

I have no new thoughts to add to those that have already been well said. Any parent would be easily moved by this. It is our privledge, it is our sacrifice. Love the title!

- George

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Thank you George.  I felt a bit cheeky, purloining a bit of someone else's title, but it just seemed to fit.  Privilege and sacrifice does indeed sum it up.

Submitted by PoetonaHill on

My thoughts and feelings are pretty much mirrored in the poem and by the other comments. As the father of three successful grown ups I claim no credit for their achievements. I just blundered on as an apprentice parent who learned on the job. When the time came I set them free, maybe with a lump in my throat,  but freedom was my final gift. They did the rest themselves.

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Thank you for reading and commenting.  Both of mine are now grown up, and both currently taking some more of those big steps (going to uni, recently moved in with partner) and it does seem like the culmination of all those little steps.  As you say, most of us parents can only blunder along with the best of intentions, hope we haven't been too Philip Larkin along the way, and that they'll flourish in whatever they do.  Thanks again for dropping by.