Apron Strings

What of those dreams that you once held?

I see no sign of bud or leaf.

No shaft of sunlight filters through,

a coal-black sky with no relief.

Your footprint heavy on my mind

and more so with each passing day.

I sense your purpose lost in space,

I feel you floating far away.

A player on a chequered board,

you take a chance and play the game.

I pray you choose to stay on course,

if not, you've no one else to blame.

I'm here as I will always be,

but you my darling hold the key.

Reviews

[Lorry]

The sadness and fear, hopes and hopes dashed, as you watch the chick learning to fly with their own steam. There is only so far the strings stretch before they start cutting off the circulation.
Worrying times Chris, but hopefully they will be slow at take off, then soar.
Hopefully, they will learn from the mistakes of others and not fly into too many windows. (because that s**t hurts the first 27 times) :)
Ps...when I typed the word circulation, I thought "thats not a word, did I just make that up."

[Chris Shaw]

Painful when those chicks fly the nest, especially if you don't feel confident they've found there wings. Regarding "circulation" funny isn't it how we can have a mental block about some words. I often puzzle over spellings these days. Think twice when once I just wrote the words without thinking. Many thanks Lorry.

Chris

[Lorry]

Yes, I do that all the time and spenf so long thinking about them, I forget what I was doing in the first place. Abstract is the one I hang up on these days. Insufficient and colloquial too. Sometimes I think I made them up and have to type it on a document for spell check to figure out. Whatever happened to words that sounded like what they are? My personal favourites are blob and smooth, they do what it says on the tin :)

[Chris Shaw]

Blob what a weird word Lorry. Not very poetic really is it?Reminds me of Bill and Ben, the flower pot men. Blob a lob, little weed. Bet you haven't got a clue wot I'm talking about :)

[Lorry]

I do, and im going to go into teacher mode for a moment (i so rarely get a chance)
Blob a lob, or flob a lob, would make the creators family so cross. I once watched an episode of QI, wher Mr Fry said the language was called flobadob, and the son went mental and sent a very arrogant letter, saying it is called odfle poddle. Stephen Fry read out the letter next season and the guy got totally trolled online for it. :)
Okay! Not a fan of blob....how about squishy, squeezy? Worst word ever....blacmange, it is disgusting noth in eating and saying. Ot almost sounds like being sick too :)

[Chris Shaw]

Well you are far more clued up than me Lorry. The creator"s son sounds a bit loopy to me, making a big deal over nothing really. Have to agree about blancmange, especially the pink type - puk making. Now that does take me back to school.:)

[Dave]

Christine - being a parent is probably one of the toughest jobs in the world. We all struggle and do our best, teaching and prodding along with a lot of praying. The day will come, we know, when they will fly away, we hope not too far. Hopeful that the lessons they learned from us will see them through whatever trials and tribulations may assail them. Despite the worst that can happen they should know that we are still there for them.

What a very thoughtful piece of writing.
Take care - Dave

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for your review Dave. Not easy being a parent, so much responsibility :)
read moreThank you so much for your review Dave. Not easy being a parent, so much responsibility :)

Chris

[Tamara Beryl Latham]

Chris, this is a wonderful sonnet that I interpret as your child, after growing up, has left home and you are hoping he steers a steady course. I particularly liked the couplet where you state you will always be available should he need you.

An excellent write and a great read. :-)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Tamara. It is about my eldest grandson who has lived with us since he was seven. He wobbled a bit but is now doing very nicely. An old poem of mine. Thank you.

Chris

[Tamara Beryl Latham]

You're welcome, Chris. Well that explains it precisely. I'm elated to know he is now doing nicely.

[Onlyme]

The children who want to fly the nest. And you want to keep them safe and secure. And under your safety net, called love and being a parent. Many parents feel your emotions, Chris. Heartfelt and so dam true. It's not an easy task to be a parent with children or young adults, let alone when they are adults. They still cause you pain and suffering. But they have to learn and stand on their own to feet eventually. And that is the hard bit. Letting go for them. To take that scary step of independence. You still love them deeply and profoundly. But letting them grow in mind and body and spirit. Away from the family nest.

[Chris Shaw]

You have to let them go or they will never learn. We all know that, but saying it doesn't make it easy to put in practice. Thank you Dawn.

Chris

[Einstein Noodle]

oh how hard it is ...for a parent to untie those strings as well ... the admonition to children traditionally says "let go" .. but i love this second perspective even more as my own cutting loose was long ago .. but even with my children all 30-40s ... i still remain holding my apron stings out should they ever need them ... funny how that goes eh!? your poem particularly speaks to me today as my youngest (33) has had a rough go of things this past year and i told him to "come on down" ... take a break and get some R&R in our wonderful Ozark forests ... so we will have the great joy of sharing T-Day feasting together ;) poem is as always, Chris, strong, recognizable form the gives familiarity and rhyming that is as one speaks .. not trite, no stretching syntax .. all that good stuff ... you have a gift my friend
E.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Mr E. I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. Pleased my poem speaks to you. I think however prepared you are for the chicks leaving the nest, it is still difficult to deal with when the time comes. Many thanks

Chris

[Einstein Noodle]

the mother of our children died at the very young age of 30 (a long time ago now) I had our four children to raise and honestly ... I lit that rocket that took them into the big wide world ;) and then once all were on there own...i downsized the homestead and moved just far enough away to make it a bit of a hassle to stop by at dinner time all the time ;) but gotta love 'em ... all the Grand Babies ... stuff of life eh!?

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for sharing that with me. How proud you must be of what you managed on your own. Raising children the most difficult job I ever had. Yes, the grandchildren are indeed a gift :)

[Einstein Noodle]

i agree ...there is no "book" on it .... we just do our best ... ;}

[DIVYA]

Words of unconditional support to a loved one. When we can only stand back and watch their lives unfold. Helpless sometimes at the uncertainty there seems but only able to love and support from a distance. The concluding lines sum it all up wonderfully well. They hold the key.

[Chris Shaw]

They do indeed hold the key. Thank you Divya.

Chris

[DIVYA]

You are welcome Chris. A pleasure to read you!

[andrew mitchell]

Nice work Chris, lovely work. I often wonder how long is a heart string!

[Chris Shaw]

Heart strings can be too long sometimes Andrew :) Thanks for checking this one out.

Chris

[Lydia Shutter]

Not sure for whom you wrote this, but everyone needs to know they have one person in life on whom they can rely. You obviously care for this person and want the best for him/her. Everyone makes choices in life...sometimes not such good ones. Still, if you care enough about that person, you will still be there to pick up the pieces when the need arises. A comforting poem written in such easy flowing lines. Great rhyming. Lydi**

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Lydi**. There to pick up the pieces should the need arise.

Chris.

[Maxwell Ryder]

Heart strings is what you are really pulling on here.

[Chris Shaw]

I think you have summed that up well Maxwell :) Thank you for visiting. Hope all is good with you.read moreI think you have summed that up well Maxwell :) Thank you for visiting. Hope all is good with you.

Chris

[angel]

Thanks once more for sweet --and bittersweet--memories, Chris!I remember when my kids were small; they often pulled at my literal apron strings. I don't know whether some of today's young ladies wear aprons anymore, but if not, their children, I am sure, will be able to find something they can tug at to get their attention. A shirttail? A skirt? A pantleg? It has been the same gesture forever.
Eve's children doubtless gave her fig leaf a pull. Not too hard; just to get her attention.
We help them grow, then let them go... letting them fall when they misstep is the hardest part, but let them fall, we must. If we don't, they will never learn to deal with life's problems. When I see them getting ready to fall, I gently tell them that if (when) they fall, I am here to help them up again. Usually, they are OK on their own, and I stay in the background. At least I don't have to hold my breath, as I did when they were just leaping into the world, all full of themselves and thinking they were indestructible. My "baby" is forty-one now.
A charming poem, as usual!

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you angel from someone who knows exactly what this poem is about. Yes, we have to let them make their own mistakes. Hope all is good with you.

Chris

[LazerRays]

A very nice moral you're saying. You'll always be there. That's a nice feeling to have- security. I wish I could have that type of security as the person you are referring to.
I enjoyed this poem very much :)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Sarah, I hope I will always be able to offer that security for my younger ones.
read moreThank you Sarah, I hope I will always be able to offer that security for my younger ones.

Chris