Drawing Boundaries

All newborns move from womb to crib;
and toddlers leave the floor to play in yards.
Most youngsters go from home to school,
learning a new milieu some with ease.

Our kids both young and old contend with space.
While teens assemble, needing gangs and groups,
our college students age as they leave home.
The forest’s edge expands with chills and thrills.

Advancing purlieu dawns on us
the outskirts of our lives change over time. 
The empty nest can normalize our lives
as we accept each demarcation line.

With marriage, having children need not stunt
our passage if we've learned our lessons well.
We welcome flux and look forward to tomorrow.
Grandkids will start the cycle anew.

Agendas set; when of necessity
we must retreat, forest calls us back,
we think goodbye, adieu slowed our bearings down. 

In lieu of serving others, we now dread
being waited-on by younger souls
who'll take their mental notes. An empty nest
just helps pull the curtains on our clock and stage.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Kendrick Avatar
January 27, 2022 at 3:45 AM
Creative winning work. Way to go. Congrats. Sara
Leiser Avatar
May 20, 2017 at 6:49 PM
Congrats on your win, Reason A. :)
Rodrigues Avatar
May 20, 2017 at 6:44 PM
Wonderful from start to finish! Congrats, Reason!
White Avatar
May 20, 2017 at 2:45 PM
Congratulations, such a wonderful win!
Poteet Avatar
May 20, 2017 at 4:09 PM
Appreciate your comment, Darren. Have a great day writing and reading poetry.
Canerdy Avatar
May 20, 2017 at 2:18 PM
How movingly and skillfully you have spoken of the circle of life! Reason, congrats on your win in my contest! Janice
Poteet Avatar
May 20, 2017 at 4:08 PM
I thank you, Janis, 'twas from the heart of a 73 year old grandma who sees life from "many" sides now.
Williams Gault Avatar
June 4, 2016 at 3:00 AM
The ages and stages of life, so wonderful the way you so smoothly posed it. Congratulations!
Poteet Avatar
May 14, 2017 at 10:02 PM
Tried to work in some (ieu) words as an aside. Did it work?
Leiser Avatar
June 3, 2016 at 2:56 PM
Congrats on your tip top win, Reason :)
Rodrigues Avatar
June 3, 2016 at 12:54 PM
Congratulations, Reason!
Haight Avatar
June 3, 2016 at 10:07 AM
Reason, congratulations on your First Place win in the Blank Verse contest. Your poem is beautifully written with so much wisdom in your words of how our circle of life within our family flows from helping to being helped as stated well in your last two stanzas. 7+Fav for me. Hugs, Sandra
Smith Avatar
June 3, 2016 at 6:24 AM
Well done Reason, deserving honor...
Poteet Avatar
June 3, 2016 at 7:08 AM
Thank you, Charlie. Blank verse strikes a great balance between poetry and prose.
Canerdy Avatar
June 2, 2016 at 10:16 PM
Excellent in every respect! Congrats on your well-deserved win! Janice
Poteet Avatar
June 3, 2016 at 7:09 AM
I appreciate the comment Janice.
Lawless Avatar
June 2, 2016 at 9:46 PM
SO....I considered this a "New" poem as it is a recreation in a new form. The flow and the line breaks are terrific, making for a smooth read. The topic of transitions and boundaries throughout life is treated masterfully. Thank you for submitting it to the contest.
Poteet Avatar
December 9, 2019 at 6:03 AM
thanks, John, your comment and placement are an honor.
Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace