From Boy to Man

With my womb like a ship in a bottle you slid as an unseen foot I pressed
Until six weeks past the time of “any minute!” you moved
from a Madonnaesque notion to become the adored infant son I wonderingly caressed
On first day home I accidentally stuck you with a pin
And at the realization of your pain in my heart truly a mother did begin
You turned over at two days although they said you were truly six weeks old
I cared little for their time-tables, thought the movement genius and quite bold
Your long awaited delayed grand entrance, perhaps did your precociousness enhance
As you stood at six months and said your first word ‘Hello!’ at anyone’s merest glance
You swam under crystal turquoise waters as instinctively graceful as a creature of the sea
And broke surface with that infant pealing laughter sun spattered, salted looking straight into me

Each moment held its special wonder, from first step, to full out run,
to pointing out the alphabet before sentenced speech had yet begun
I knew I had longed for you, but could not have conceptualized the joy, the purest fun
Your mind became your own and thrilled with thoughts that tied perfection with a shining bow
Like the time at two when you hugged me tight and said your heart with love did “overflow”
And so it went on and on and so on and on did it go
I did all the things that mothers do, the little league games when I’d glance down quickly when a ball you’d miss
And catch your eye straight through and at a run come in, grin and share the bliss
I held you in my arms and danced and whirled you through day and night
Until you were far too old and mature for such a sight
Soon you held your palm up to mine and dwarfed my own
It was clear that the time was here and you near fully grown
I soaked in your proud introductions of your mother young and cool
Left you at college with a cheery bye a smiling face swollen and sufficient tears to fill a pool
From that slide, side to side, within my womb as on an unseen foot I pressed
To graduations, speeches, award dinners, office openings I dressed
Each moment celebrated with a truly incomparable and somehow unspeakable joy
With complete understanding that each event moved you to the world’s man from my boy
And as you shifted, I moved too, step by step, beginning center and over incrementally
Continuing to celebrate you in the sparkle light as I attempt a graceful exit stage left -
forever lovingly