WHEN YOU WERE BORN

When you were born

I was sure you were 

the most remarkable thing

on the planet

as you grew         I knew it was true

everything    I had experienced     paled

in the light of          who you were

and the     privilege    of knowing you 

an   empty   life became   full

darkness        became    light

no   thing men value         could compare

to what         is you 

How many cries   beneath  those eyes

how much of you will    I ever see

guess you're         alot like me

I have never celebrated     my body

I never        cried for you 

I shared        nothing 

but you        asked me to 

and I         never asked you 

I told you          no stories

for I cannot       share the pain

as I was          taught

that my outside     should never betray 

my inside

What I feel         I must never show

so that you       would never know

"to be seen          and not heard "

not allowed         to speak any word 

your body is for        service

close your          eyes    and MIND (behave)

I'm sorry my children     that

I gave this              legacy to you

the mother     you never knew

I have so few memories            of kindness

and nearly            none           of love

I have tried          to give    you

all that           I had and 

I don't believe       in myself  that 

it could ever        be enough

I have been      trying all my life

to learn         how to love

I must let you go

to make this         journey yourselves

I would         be privileged

to make this           journey with you

and I really don't     want

you focused            on the past anyway

I want       you        looking for love

and   happiness      cause I'm still

looking for it         too 

but you all         have given 

my happy memories

(and I still think for you they were too few)

Psalm 139
3 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them.

COPYRIGHT © 2014 C Michael Miller
via Duboff Law Group LLC