My daughter at the age of 5
~~
Next first day of school
she’ll be released
into a raging hormonal hell,
the halls of ups and downs–
UP and DOWN!
the shivers on my spine.
Last week, a tour
of the high school campus–
2,500 teens/adults {OMG} together
not counting staff
(for roughly)
720 days
5,040 hours
302,400 minutes
countless, the seconds
from freshman to senior year.
An eddy full of fear, I feel inside
as I watch her spread her wings,
walk up ahead with friends, leave me behind
NO, No, don’t ever go alone.
A role reversal, You’ll be fine!
the peeling off of fingers, letting go…
back and forth, a tug of war
these strings upon my heart
squeezing tears upon my soul
for at least 4 more
first days of schools–
a hazy daze, how fast it goes–
until she’s off to college…
gone.
*
Poetic inspiration: dVersePoets~Poetics: The art of letting go w/ Claudia
Yep, my oldest will be in high school next year… sigh… where does the time go?
haha..the role reversal made me smile…yeah…off they go and we let go with a mixture of pain and pride…it’s so good though to see them find their way and fly.. lovely pic of your daughter…she’s so sweet..
Thank you, Claudia.
smiles…the role reversal…you will be fine…high school is def a different animal and a time of life where the relationships with our kids are tested…broken or deepened….its def a hard time…but that is also where all you invested pays off too…smiles.
oh! Is it like that then? How fast time flies in your poem (and pic)! You truly made me feel the separation anxiety. Consider home schooling? But I know the other meaning of first day for you . . . .
So hard to watch our children pass through all those first days as the grow through childhood, then teen years. I am sure she will do fine, but I think parents have a harder time ‘adjusting’ oftentimes than kids do.
I’m with Mary on this one. Harder on us than them.
My daughter too would be first year in high school ~ How fast time flies indeed ~ I keep on telling her to slow down but she is as tall as me now ~
Lovely pic of your daughter Laurie ~
Oh, I dread this!
Yeah, its easy enough for kids to leave parents and go off to their school life..
Aw, this touched me Laurie – and I don’t even have children!
Oh, the unraveling. And so we must someday write a poem right after it happens or just before. Our cheeks will be soaked. Where’s the pool?
You brought back my memories of such times with great immediacy!
Nice rhyme (slant & off) meld into this piece of Letting Go. How you suffered! LOL.
Seriously, though, I read your fear & feel your fear…..and we are helpless. we just must observe, & just Be There.
nice piece.
Time seems too fast sometimes -we do want to hold them ‘right here’ for just a little longer – adorable pic! K
this is amazing. love your modern contextualizing of the poem. the use of omg and such. and love the title, the 4 more first days of school imagery… until your baby is all grown up. love it.
i don’t have children myself, but i do think that letting those formerly completely dependent babies go (at any age) must be one of the toughest things parents are asked to do… even if the letting go is in increments
great poem – i really felt the fear
My feelings exactly about my growing up kids. How fast they grow up…sigh.
I hope I find this stage easier, that I have prepared my daughter for those days well. Time will see it happen regardless.
Okay, this was scary for me. I had never thought about high school as a “raging hormonal hell” before. That line in particular evoke a strong reaction for me, which was reinforced by the time breakdown into minutes. I think I need to go watch some “Blue’s Clues” with my three year old.
I don’t have any children of my own (yet, anyways) but I can only imagine what it might feel like. Nicely done.
peeling off of fingers, tug of war. uggh. so familiar to me. my oldest is 27, my youngest is 7. children/loved ones are our stongest teachers when it comes to letting go, i think.
…some things in life are meant to happen & come for real… and this is just the beggining of another stage for you & her… tough to end the previous chapters in our life but the new one has to be opened for us to know the end of the story… smiles…
It hurts but go they must.
..so much good advice here and understanding…hope you fell not so alone…I wonder where the time went and now see the grandkids growing up…a different kind of worry…so prepare to take care of yourself first..it will last as long as there are sons and daughters and grandkids;)
i found sending my kids to middle school the hardest…but that’s a whole story in itself.
made me smile.. i have another year before i send my oldest to middle school itself..but i am sure there might be a time that this will happen(maybe it has!)
A role reversal, You’ll be fine!
the peeling off of fingers, letting go…
it must be an intense feeling. i suppose it makes the present special.
It was difficult to let go. And I hold on to the little ones just a little longer.
Gorgeous pic ~ lovely take on the prompt ~ reflective poetry
Moments come which are both glorious and heart-rending. This speaks from the heart.
All goes so quick. Time flies. Very nice written, and thank you for visiting my poem.
Role Reversal — ah we train them for that
I love the role reversal – I was so excited to go to secondary school (i boarded for 5 years) but it must have been hell for my parents, a thought that didn’t occur to me for years afterwards.
raging hormonal hell, great description, love the association with the shivers on the spine. The data in the second stanza is used so masterfully, I love data and have tried using it in poems before, but this is really a stanza to show how numbers and statistics can have a place in poetry. Great write. Thanks
They grow up fast. Before we knew it they’ve flown the nest. Once out to college that’s it, it’s more or less gone. They’ll be on their own and no more mom’s gal at home!. Nicely Laurie!
Hank
I remember feeling exactly this way. But for me it continued as I dropped my daughter off for college! Actually I think I only resently got over worrying about her — and she is in her 30s.
Wow! This is the first thing I’ve read by you, but I’ll be following from now on! Parenthood: what unique and yet universal experiences it gives! you articulate it wonderfully here.
It’s amazing how many times in your life you will have to let go. each time a little different from the one before—building to a bigger moment where the release feels more perminent. I’m not sure those moments ever really vanish or get easier to handle.
a lovely write.