Boy in the Red Jacket

This posted poem is contributed by a guest writer, my daughter, Eve. My thoughts so often turn to my children and grandchildren with reflections on how fast time takes them from me. Several of my previous posts have been focused on that very sentiment, and, the older I get, the deeper I feel the distance, and the more I ache to gather them all in an everlasting embrace. As I look through old photographs of when my kids were babies or grade school age, I see images that verily suck me back in time and place to some spot to briefly see and feel it all over again. I can still see myself checking to see if they’ve fallen asleep, or I can see them all packed into a vehicle on the road to some anticipated vacation. I see them playing in the house, and chuckle again at the super hero costumes that often accompanied that play. I see Sunday tents in the living room, and bunnies and puppies in the back yard. I see a LIFE made of photographs. What follows is written by Eve Richardson:

James and I took a walk tonight. The last night of spring break. But sometimes, when I slow down enough it seems like more than winter is coming to an end. More like an era might be closing. Here am I–holding onto the past, trying to embrace the future. Always more useful in retrospect than in the moment.

Boy in the Red Jacket
running, running, running
winter at your back
as you sprint into spring

"Time me Mama!"
How fast you traverse each corner
my watch is broken
or is it my heart?
all these seconds--slipping away

Boy in the red jacket
running, running, running
short legs, pumping
looking back--to make sure I'm still there

You run so fast
I want to keep up 
but I can't
the corner, always on the horizon
I'm here, still here, always here

Boy in the red jacket
Thief of my heart
I look forward--to make sure you're still there
the sun is setting
that odd, enchanting quality of light
I'll see you there--forever.