There Was a Child Went Forth (In the Tradition of Walt Whitman)

There was a child went forth everyday,
And the first object she looked upon and received with wonder or pity
or love or dread, that object she became,
And that object became part of her for the day or a certain part of the day...or many years or stretching cycles of years

The outdoors became a part of this child,
And the scent of pine and earth, and haze that coats the air at
early dawn, and the vague sounds of the animals in their morning frenzy, and the cry of the rooster,
And the beating of hooves upon the gravel, and their manes
billowing in the strong breeze, and the lazy goats sulking about
the barn, and the distant yet overwhelming odor of manure, and the dogs incessantly barking and roaming, and the near bothersome noise of the chickens endlessly clucking, and the peaceful demeanor of the ranch despite all of the din and commotion...all this became a part of her.

And the flowers blooming in late April and early May became part of her...
the dew that coated the emerald grass and glimmered in the light of the sun, and the massive, towering trees that introduced new heights, and the lively, green plants boasting their first lavender blossom
And the sun beginning its slow ascent, and the glow of the monotonous grey sidewalk, and the small weeds poking up from under the minute cracks in the sidewalks
And the small boys playing games in their driveways in the late afternoon, and the sound of lighthearted play as well as the thump of the basketball hitting the concrete ground

And the little girl that waved hello on her way to school...and the older boys and girls off to another day of high school...and the parents walking their children to the end of their driveways and safely on the school bus
And the change from suburbia to the big city as she drive to school...

Her own parents...he that fathered her...and she that conceived her in her womb and birthed her...they gave this child more of themselves than that,
They gave her afterward every day...they and of them became part of her.

The mother at home rushing to prepare food for the family,
The mother with critical words yet a tender heart, always preoccupied with the activities of the day ahead, constantly giving and never questioning anything in return

The father, self-sufficient, cooperative, gentle, forgiving, sturdy in physical capability, yet mild, almost weak, in emotional strength
The feeling of family, the easy atmosphere, the sense of what is understood but isn't being said, values ever present, the yearning for home
Affection that cannot be described, only felt, the knowledge of what is truly important, pride and dignity everlasting, living up to one's full potential mentally, physically, and spiritually
The ever-changing outside world...new opportunities at every corner...the hustle and bustle of the city
The continuous line of cars awaiting the light to turn green, and the slow crawl of traffic during the early morning
The destitute man at the side of the road, begging for food and drink, holding a sign that yearns to be read and pitied
The men and women lining the sidewalks, awaiting their bus, to take them to their next stop, wherever it may be
The drone of a bell at a school and hundreds of children rushing to the front door, anxious to arrive to class on time
These became a part of that child, who went forth everyday, and who now goes and will always go forth everyday.