Edwin Hofert Poet Rhyme

Not Made For Goodbye

Not Built For Goodbye

I wonder if you somehow knew?
When you heard my infant cry.
That I was somewhat different.
Im not built for goodbye.

As a child at play with friends
How I longed for them to stay.
But when they’re mother called them in
I’d watch them walk away.

It seems I would grow used to it.
When there’s goodbyes I must bare.
No matter just how hard I tried.
God knows I’ve known my share.

When lovers left, the tears would fall.
Could it be it’s my mistake?
Each love when it reached its end.
Again my heart would break.

I knew one day the day would come.
You would spread your wings and fly.
And on that day I must be strong.
But I’m not built for goodbye.

So mother, turn away from me.
So you won’t see me cry.
The child once held inside your womb.
Not built for goodbye.

Edwin C Hofert

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Alison A Smith September 10, 2026 at 8:14 PM A deeply moving, plainly spoken poem that carries its grief with quiet dignity. The recurring line, “I’m not built for goodbye,” works as an effective refrain, linking childhood separations, lost loves, and the final farewell to a mother into one sustained emotional arc. The steady rhyme and direct language give the piece a heartfelt, traditional elegiac quality, while the closing image of the child once held in her womb is especially tender and poignant. Edwin Hofert September 14, 2026 at 11:12 AM Thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond. I’ve been away from poetry soup a long time and have had trouble writing. Like hitting a wall. Your words are very encouraging to me. God bless.