Tired Tender

To the tired tender to tinies, to tots:

This, too,

This teaching, this touching to take the terrors through the twilight,

Through the tumult,

Through the tempestuousness.

This, too, tends toward termination,

Toward transformation.

This time, too tarrying—too tough;

‘Twill take thee, threadbare through tumbling temperamentally,

To the tear-tugging transition to tyke’s teenhood.

This, ‘twill turn—through too-tiny ticks to the timepiece—

To their turn to tend their tykes too,

Teaching to thee, to thy teary thoughtfulness,

That this time?

‘Twas truly transcendent treasure.