'Live 'til I die'

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

Thief

Trace then your gnarled and dying fingers
gently down the soft curve of my cheek.
Look full into my loving eyes
and brush away these diamond tears
of grief.
We found the kind of love which lingers;
poems of which loving hearts could speak.
Our time to sing this song of love,
alas, with your advancing years,
was brief.

Could I, with woman's' simple power,
halt the reading of life's fragile rhyme;
reclaim one single precious day,
by merit of this tender role
I bear?
Oh no, my Darling, nor one hour,
so relentless marches Father Time.
Yeah though into my soul he saw
and knew exactly what he stole
from there.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

Letting go of the bicycle saddle

I have a son
so I'm proud and glad,
sad,
afraid,
but brave and strong for him.
He may never know how I fear
but trust
and let him try,
and fail.
He may not see how I stand back
and watch
and wait for him to stand alone.
My hand is there to catch, but stayed,
because
a man must 'get it right' himself
to grow.

My arms have ached to pick him up!
I bite my lip.
I love him well enough to stop
and well enough to let him fall.
Although it breaks my heart,
I know
a self made man walks tall.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************