November 30, 2006

Poetry Thursday: Blue Walls


Blue Walls

The last thing we did
before he was born
was to cut down a huge tree
that was in decline.
Old life making way
for new.
The room burst wide
with sunshine.

When he was born
sleep became a dance.
He led; we followed.
We tried having him sleep
in the room with us,
but I woke with
every hiccup, every movement,
So across the hall he went.

My back still remembers
the leaning in,
the careful laying down
of our small bundle of boy in his crib.
We brushed the blue walls of his room
with a yellow night light
and delighted in the new lullabye
of his deep steady breaths.

--------------~

One day when I was seven
I suddenly noticed
that my bedroom walls
were pink. The next day
we went to the paint store.
Maybe someday soon
he’ll notice that his walls
are blue.

We’ll explain that we chose
blue not for boy
but for wide open sky,
for a view newly freed
of an old growth tree.
But he might ask
to head off to the paint store
anyway.
(Many thanks to the women of Poetry Thursday
for their continuing inspiration.)

7 comments:

SarahJane said...

wow, that's good. i got a chill at the "not for boy" part explaining the blue. smile

Shelley said...

Oh, Sarah, thank you so much for your kind words! I'm still fiddling with it, so hit "refresh" a few times.

Where are you in your journeying? Wanna come for waffles this weekend?

Anonymous said...

made my day!

SarahJane said...

oh, i wish i could have come for waffles. dang. next time maybe. i'm back in germany already.
cheers

Anonymous said...

This is just so very lovely.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful poem. It really captures your parenting experience.

Andromeda Jazmon said...

Lovely. I love the color and light connected to change and growth.