Tuesday, 16 July 2013

Waving Goodbye

Waving Goodbye 

I still see you stuck in a pram,

On a journey to the shops with Mum,

You waved me goodbye,

Your eyes never leaving me,

As you wheeled down the street.

 

The day you started school,

A wide-eyed little duckling,

Uncertain, waving tentatively,

You went out of our days.

 

Each and every morning,

You went to class,

Holding your brother’s hand,

You waved all the way in,

Looking over your shoulder.

On your brother’s last day in Primary,

You walked together for the last time,

And you waved as my vision blurred for tears.

 

High school,

Crisp uniform, wide brimmed hat,

Jacket sleeves too long for a boy,

A toughening time,

You waved and walked into your new life.

 

Today we dropped you at school,

And watched you shuffle off,

Tie undone,

Hair fashionably messed up,

Shirt hanging out, hat nowhere to be seen,

Rebellious, distant and absorbed,

Totally “cool.”

And still, you turned to us,

Absent minded,

And waved goodbye.

 

I drop you at a friend's

Your larger world awaits,

You sprint to the door in anticipation,

And yet you turned and wave.

 

At each and every stage,

At every awkward age,

My every instinct has screamed at me,

To run and hold you tight.

 

Whenever you wave,

I watch you grow,

And part of you walks away

Forever

But as long as you smile and wave,

You give me a gift,

I can never repay,

You show me why I was made.

 

To wave back.                                                                                                        




For Liam. Always. 



Copyright Pierre Nunns 


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