Oh, little one
I want to hold you again in the palm of my hand,
Feel the warmth of your skin on my weathered flesh,
Hear your wordless voice echo in my soul,
Know your laugh sprang from something more eternal than I.
Oh, little one
I remember when you were but a seedling in the womb,
Kicks from an unseen foot,
A flower planted just waiting to be born,
Destiny realized in the tears that sprang for your father’s heart.
Oh, little one
How I wish to see you once again,
Crawl for the first time,
Take your first steps with a giggle and a shriek of joy,
Watch your amazement at the simple things you do.
Little one…
Before there were phones and games and friends,
There was you, and there was me,
Do not believe that my letting go is easy.
But in love, my hand loosely holds your own.
Oh, little one
I wish I could hear once more your breath as you lay asleep,
Nestled on my chest,
Our sweat dripping like beads of love all around.
Our hearts touching even through the skin and bone.
Oh, little one
I remember the days when my finger filled your entire hand,
When I was more than a mere man in your eyes,
A god, invincible in the fantasies of his child,
Yet a man struggling to keep up with how fast life was changing.
Oh, little one
What I would give to have you little once more,
Even as I marvel in joy at the person you have become,
And the gift to the world you are.
I am so fortunate to have met you.
Because, oh little one,
You have made a man out of me,
Carved me from the wretched marble of my immaturity,
Into a sculpture, I pray you can be proud.
This stone surrendered the moment his artist was born.
Oh, little one
Let this old man just adore you as you are,
Bask in the struggle of a tree setting his seeds free,
Even as he holds the memory of when you were,
His little one.