in the sheltering sky

children.

watch them.
watch them with their tiny hands
carrying those enormous dreams,
dreams so big they swell up
and like hot air balloons kept afloat by whispers
they rise and mingle with the clouds,
eclipsing the sun,
which glows so much dimmer.

and watch them.
watch them fly right after their
balloon thoughts,
their scuffed and muddy sandals
leaving the aloof ground
for the sheltering sky.
only to us they're just jumping,
reaching for butterflies, bees,
god knows what.

watch them,
as they watch us
watch them.
and watch us wave
our big adult hands at them,
and watch them clench their tiny fists,
afraid to return the gesture,
afraid their whispered dreams
might float free of their open hands
and join the chorus of clouds
in the sheltering sky.

Author's Note

Got to thinking about the difference between 'grown-ups' and kids. Out this popped.

Reviews

[Denise]

This is so beautiful. The perfect imagery of childhood dreams that will one day be cast away as we grow up only to be forgotten we ever had them. It is a bit sad in a way, knowing this once was yourself living so carefree and now grown up those dreams are miles away.

[krbritt]

and they think they're better than us....reading this might change their minds! great job. read mine?

[Poeticadia]

This is amazing poetry! It leaves me thinking about just when we open our hands to the adult world and let go of our childhood imagination. And as poets, we hope there will always be some small part of ourselves that is able to take off and fly like the children of the poem... and that is what we hope to do with words; this poem does exactly that! Excellent!

[ju]

the lines i love- "Afraid to return the gesture, / Afraid their whispered dreams / Might float free of their open hands"
fantastic poem. V. Blake said it well enough. reading this, and your other poems- i don't feel i'm reading the words of a 16 year old. don't ever stop writing.

[BriAnna Wyble]

this is beautifully written. i love the comparison, it was perfect.

[V.B.]

Damn, man. I wish I had your skill when I was 16. I'd be famous by now.

"And watch us wave our big adult hands at them" was a particularly striking image for me--it makes me realize how many kids might look at me and think I have any kind of control over anything, while I have to stand here and do my best to keep up the illusion. Stellar work, sir.