Monday, September 05, 2005

not big but no longer small

sand lot boy and girl
two years ago in the
sand box
this year on the slide
sitting on some cloth
to protect tender skin from
summer hot steel
in a couple more years
with baby brother or sister
toddle small and compact
the small feet
in too stiff shoes
the falls
hot angry tears
and that wounded shriek
that tells us you didn’t
deserve their trust
they looked up to you
but you failed them

five more years and that
metal and sand universe
will be a bizarre moonscape
only containing that
desperate hope
that he or she will love
you back
and can be trusted
not to let you
float away some
cool spring night

4 comments:

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

Children are yours but you never own them, it's a scary place full of wonder and fear

Russell Ragsdale said...

Thanks Sue! It is scary how fast they grow! It is so amazing to me to watch these little children grow into adults.

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

My little boy is six feet + tall scary-he picks me up and tells me I'll hurt myself if I get really cross. It's not easy to stay mad, I remember him being too small to fit a baby grow. Still at least he's big enough to stay up all night on his own now!!

Russell Ragsdale said...

Seems like it was just a few moments ago that the ten year old kids I knew were playing in the yard. Now they are married, with children of their own! Wow! Too fast!