Sunday, September 30, 2007

Nearing the Empty Nest



This is a poem I wrote. I thought I would share.
Empty Nest

I long for the laughter of children's delight,
for the look of wonder in eyes so bright

I yearn for the times when my table was full,
each day held adventures life never was dull.

When little ones sat snuggled safe in my lap
and I rocked them to sleep at bedtime and naps.

The science projects and book reports
spelling and English and math of all sorts.

With seven in school the work never ends
but it has to be done before T.V. and friends.

We researched, wrote papers and practiced their spelling.
we listened to stories they wrote for the telling.

Our family was run like a wwell oiled machine
with schedules for laundry and keeping things clean.
School lunches were made in an assembly line,
sixty sandwiches a week takes quite a long time.

Our cookie recipe made twenty dozen
we baked them and bagged them and kept them all frozen.
Summers on swim team, hanging out at the pool,
eating and swimming just trying to stay cool.

Our birthday parties, the holiday fun,
school sports and activities kept me at a dead run.

I miss the long talks we had nights so late
when teens plopped on our bed after work or a date.

We joked and we laughed we fought some good fights
we talked and debated about wrong and right.

And somewhere amid all the laughter and tears
my children grew up in just a few years

Each one is raising their own family
and they're doing it so responsibly.

I miss having them gathered for scriptures and prayer
But in their homes they have them there.
My time as a Mommy is coming to an end
but there's 8 wonderful people that I now call friend.

The greatest teachers I've ever had
were my eight children and their wonderful dad.

Some of the lessons we learned were hard
we prayed and struggled and stayed on guard
against a world that would tear us apart
we fought to keep family close to our hearts

Some lessons brought pain that felt too hard to bear
and some paths that we traveled were filled with fear

We held on to each other amid uncertainty
and hearts became knit in unity

Through it all my hearts greatest plea
was, "God, help them to feel they're important to me.
In good times and bad please help them to see
my love for them will always be."

I love the "straight arrow" righteous ones
as well as the struggling "prodigal sons."

They've each taught me things I needed to know
They've each made me stretch and reach and grow

God knew I needed those eight children of mine
their child like faith theirs souls divine

but as one chapter closes another begins
and I feel so lost much to my chagrin

The world is wide open and I haven't a clue
What I should choose or what I should do

When you've been a mother for 30 years
It becomes even harder to try to switch gears

But growth has to happen and life must go on
and change is inevitable now that my children are gone.
























3 comments:

Sarah said...

I was so surprised to see so many new posts. Good job! That was a great poem. You definitely have a talent for that. See you this week!

Unknown said...

Wow Annette that poem is great. I really like it. I've been writing poetry recently for my creative writing class. It is fun but sometimes frustrating. My poems are not nearly as long and detailed.
Jon

Melinda said...

Your poem made me cry. Mom read it to me before I went on to see it, but it's wonderful, fun because we're at that stage of life that you are refering to. We love you and are glad you're feeling better!!