I stopped at the top of the stairs
to wait for him
as he shuffled out of his bedroom,
sleepy-eyed and not yet steady.
He took the old walnut railing
with his left hand
as we walked next to each other
towards breakfast and the day.
His right hand reached into mine,
gentle and soft,
warm from his blanketed slumber.
He’s almost eight years old, I thought,
in fear of the day
when he won’t slip so easily
into sharing his space
or his hand
with me.
I tried to tread carefully as we went
so as not to disturb our clasp,
wishing the stairs might go on forever,
a father and his boy.
bussokuseki 
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This is still my favorite. The image stays with me.
Thanks so much, Carla. I think we all write for ourselves first…but then, as poets, isn’t that what we all want, to create a real and lasting image? Thank you, as always, for your visit and thoughtful comment. Be well~
Touching and wonderful.
So beautiful and tender. Thank you for sharing this poem.
Thank you so much for the visit and taking time for such a wonderful comment. Welcome back any time – I wish you well on your path.
You’ve caught this moment as though you’re gazing at it from a tender future. Yet it’s fully Now, full of love. ~Jill
Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment – I am so happy that it touched you in some way. Be well this day~
Reblogged this on drshyamalavatsa.
Lovely imagery.
I owe it to my son…thanks & be well, Chris.
Wow. Another perfect moment, perfectly rendered. All that fatherhood is: warmth, happiness, sadness, transience … captured in 21 simple, crystallized lines.
It’s funny you should say that. I was writing this for a while, and kept having the urge to include more, make the poem longer, and then kept pulling it back, pulling it back. It’s a struggle I have all the time writing, and I’m realizing as I read your comment how close the analogy is to fatherhood – don’t add too much, it is perfect as it is… Thanks Matthew, as always, for reading and for the thoughtful comment.
“Don’t add too much” should probably become my parenting mantra. Piling stuff on top of stuff. I’m very skilled at that, unfortunately. Daily struggle.
What a tender, sweet poem – very touching and beautifully and simply written. Thanks for sharing it with us.
And thank you, as always, for reading. The moments themselves are usually so simple, I try to write them simply, too. Be well~
Awwwww….quite the ode to your son.
Why, thank you. It’s hard to believe, even as I write it, that he has grown up up so much… Thanks for reading and commenting, and be well~
Brought tears to my eyes. Was just thinking today about how my 6-year-old looks like a little man.
Thanks so much, CJ. I am so happy that you found something meaningful in the words. It amazes me each one of these moments how it can be so joyful and almost heartbreaking at the same time… Be well~
Always, beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you – it is also always wonderful to have you read and comment, I appreciate it deeply. Be well this day~
What a terrific poem, I loved it. This poem seems to really come from the heart.
Thanks so much for reading and for the comment. From the heart, indeed. Poetry helps me acknowledge it, own it. Be well~
I love your blog. Thank you for sharing 🙂
The thanks is all to you for reading, Carla. Be well~