Reid (My Three-year Old Grandson)

Reid (My Three-year Old Grandson)

A swell of emotion,

A heartfelt rending,

Near wrenching,

Caught up in the sleeplessness of “goodbye”,

No death, just parting from a three-year old,

But, not “just parting” either,

Sweet memories swept and sweeping still,

The constant crawling up upon my lap,

With arms caressing my neck,

And, his little head pressed against my shoulder,

As if it was a pillow,

Then as sudden,

A stiff armed push against my chest,

To get a good look at me,

Eye to eye,

And, grin,

Then laugh,

And, jabber for a while,

Only to drop once more,

His head upon my shoulder pillow,

And, tighten those little arms around my neck,

As if afraid,

I might slip away.

Now, will it last…it won’t,

But, memories move me,

These memories will be,

Kept forever!

Peter Lowell Paulson

June 6, 2016

(Poem written after a four-day Grandpa and Grandma “babysitting” this weekend)