Thoughts of my Son on Mother's Day

Giving life to another person is an awesome privilege.

For Brendan


My son’s first word was ‘dee’
For ‘birdie’
A tiny boy standing at the window
In rapt attention, holding his breath
to hold the moment still and fixed.
The hopping, bopping bit of life before him
Suddenly started, lifted into the air
And flew to the sky and away
And he called after his fascination
‘Dee!” and looked to me to bring it back.
His first word meant come back, I want you
Come back! I need you, I am not finished,
I have not understood enough,
I have not learned enough,
I have not given all I could
And the wide blue eyes turned to me
“Dee” and I held my breathe at this miracle
Of speech and at the moment of discovery
but could not grant his wish.
As he held his breath for the transitory bird
That had captured his heart and mind
I now exhale at the window,
With echoing word, last words,
‘Bren’ come back. “Bren’
A man, now grown, now flown.
A moment of life that did not last long enough
But that was never meant to be caged
or Delayed.
He cannot, should not grant my wish.