Sweet Sacrifice

As Tom turned 12, took his first plane ride alone, and began middle-school, I was left at home to realize the bittersweet, humbling JOY of raising a son. How precious each moment.

The following poem came to me one night recently, as I was stirring when I should have been sleeping in my empty home.

Sweet Sacrifice









No one ever told me
I would never sleep the
same again...

As my belly grew
in both circumference
and discomfort

and the naivety of a
sweet sleep again
on my flat belly.

I never knew
no one said
that the vacancy left
in my flat tummy
would not give way
to sleep the same

as the mantle of that dream
who slept himself
in the cradle
beside my bed
had stirred my awakened heart

and the eye of my love blown
open with his sweet breath.