From the first day
he took a tentative step
on uncertain chubby legs
attached to adventurous feet
he moved away from her
embracing with enthusiasm
the mysterious outside world
She watched over him tenderly
as he learned about life
discovered the joy of friendship
and the heartbreak of loss
embarked on his academic journey
exploiting his strengths and
overcoming his weaknesses
and during all this time
mom was always enough
her smile healed all wounds
her kiss cured all pain
but she knew in her heart
that this investment of hers
was ultimately for another
a nameless faceless other
who would eventually take her place
she was preparing him to leave
and find his place in this world
His independence draws ever closer
her smile no longer enough
as he jostles for position
in the heartless world of men
her kiss no longer wanted
as he seeks the lips of the other
It’s heart wrenching to let go
knowing he must suffer pain
before he finds his enduring love
encounter setbacks and loss
before success and satisfaction
but it’s the duty of a mother
to set her son loose
to fly alone
By Robbie Cheadle
First published in Behind Closed Doors, a collection of unusual poems by Robbie Cheadle
About the Creator
Robbie Cheadle
Robbie Cheadle loves to create in a variety of mediums including words, cake, fondant, charcoal, and oil pastels. She enjoys writing fantasy stories for children, poetry, and paranormal stories for adults in historical settings.
Keep reading
More stories from Robbie Cheadle and writers in Poets and other communities.
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 9/20/2023
We really appreciate all our creators who've shared their stories and connected with the Vocal community this past week. We're pleased to offer a bonus to these standout contributors as a little "thank you" for their hard work.
By Vocal Teamabout 20 hours ago in Resources
Comments (1)
Beautiful poem. Oh, the challenges of letting the tether out as they grow. 🥰