Love Poem: When You Were Born

When You Were Born

When you were born
I was sure you were 
the most remarkable thing
on the planet
as you grew         I knew it was true
everything    I had experienced     paled
in the light of          who you were
and the     privilege    of knowing you 
an   empty   life became   full
darkness        became    light
no   thing men value         could compare
to what         is you 

How many cries   beneath  those eyes
how much of you will    I ever see
guess you're         a lot like me

I have never celebrated     my body
I never        cried for you 
I shared        nothing 
but you        asked me to 
and I         never asked you 
I told you          no stories
for I cannot       share the pain
as I was          taught
that my outside     should never betray 
my inside
What I feel         I must never show
so that you       would never know
"to be seen          and not heard "
not allowed         to speak any word 

your body is for        service
close your          eyes    and MIND (behave)
I'm sorry my children     that
I gave this              legacy to you
the mother     you never knew
I have so few memories            of kindness
and nearly            none           of love
I have tried          to give    you
all that           I had and 
I don't believe       in myself  that 
it could ever        be enough
I have been      trying all my life
to learn         how to love
I must let you go
to make this         journey yourselves
I would         be privileged
to make this           journey with you
and I really don't     want
you focused            on the past anyway
I want       you        looking for love
and   happiness      cause I'm still
looking for it         too 
but you all         have given 
my happy memories
(and I still think for you they were too few)

Psalm 139
3 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

COPYRIGHT © 2014 C Michael Miller
via Duboff Law Group LLC