It Cannot Be Helped
You want for the crawls and climbs,
sublimes and lemons.
Let the kid run, helplessly,
so he or she strives
for the unreachable star.
“Stop growing!” a mother hollers.
A father has their bags packed.
Shikata Ga Nai, the wise say.
Mother must cry when separated
by the wibble-wabble of time.
Dad must harumph over remnants,
tricycles and toys in garage and attics,
shed tears behind dry eyes.
Most children fall
into another’s arms
and mother must cry.
Shikata Ga Nai cannot be denied.
The silence of empty nest and eventual death.
The middle years of hugs from kids of kids.
Kids calling through the ether,
wondering why their kid must keep growing taller.
You want to tell the secret, but must hint
at the eventuality -
reality it seems,
Shikata Ga Nai -
don’t deny the truth.
Shikata Ga Nai - It cannot be helped.
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