Your hand was once so small in mine
as you slept silently
cooking, washing, feeding, cleaning
was how I showed my love back then
the responsibility to keep you safe heavy against my chest
You used to turn to me when you were afraid
believing I could fight the monsters in every dark corner
You used to hold my hand
trusting me with your whole world
and I would have fought dragons for you
I show you love in different ways
now that you are almost 6 feet tall
When money isn’t tight I’ll buy afternoon muffins
for you to devour after school
I stay silent but look forward to your thank you
I show my love by holding back my embraces
Instead I stop to listen to your musings
delighting in these moments when you share your world
“Mum, you’ve got to watch this 9 minute short film.”
“I think Bismarck was an incredible leader.”
And all too soon I’ll show my love
through my plastered on smile as I wave you goodbye
until you disappear into this big world
to live your great adventure
I will wave until my arms ache and I cannot see you anymore
For Bloganuary – Day 24. How do you show love?
Nomad Online 
7 responses to “Love shown: A poem”
Great poem, showing the stages of being a parent loving a child. My have grown, made their own lives and families. It is still a treasure when they share their world with me.
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So good to see that happening. I will look forward to it. Thank you ☺️
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Great poem. Love the shared moments: “delighting in these moments when you share your world.”
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Thank you 🙏 They fall like gold dust – hardly ever, but immensely valued!
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Yes, I agree!
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Beautiful, especially: “when you share your world.” We hold tight by letting go, right? (Sob!)
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Best way to show our love is to let them live their lives. I am not looking forward to it. But our teenager is training me well.
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