First Steps

First Steps
by Michael R. Burch

for Caitlin Shea Murphy

To her a year is like infinity,
each day—an adventure never-ending.
She has no concept of time,
but already has begun the climb—
from childhood to womanhood recklessly ascending.

I would caution her, "No! Wait!
There will be time enough another day . . .
time to learn the Truth
and to slowly shed your youth,
but for now, sweet child, go carefully on your way! . . ."

But her time is not a time for cautious words,
nor a time for measured, careful understanding.
She is just certain
that, by grabbing the curtain,
in a moment she will finally be standing!

Little does she know that her first few steps
will hurtle her on her way
through childhood to adolescence,
and then, finally, pubescence . . .
while, just as swiftly, I’ll be going gray!

Keywords/Tags: adolescence, pubescence, play, learning, growing up, first steps, first walking, running, aging, first love, child, childhood, children, kindergarten, age, leaving, graduation
Copyright © | Year Posted 2020

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Krutsinger Avatar
March 30, 2020 at 10:02 PM
You have expressed the wild swiftness of a child’s timeline well Michael.
Burch Avatar
March 31, 2020 at 12:29 AM
In this case I had real inspiration in the form of an energetic little girl!
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