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patterns on water
Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

Poetry | March/April 2022

Growing Speed

By Camille Lebel

My toddler son tells me he will stop getting older by lying still;
on the toy-sprinkled carpet of his room, he freezes:
an attempt to stop cells dividing.

Legs travel long roads to plump toes peeking out of denim.
Yesterday, those same legs splayed into butterfly wings 
on the soft landing of my stomach.

My fingers trace a scratch on the soft pad of a naked foot.
He informs me he obtained this battle scar while running
eleventy million miles fast:
the precise speed at which he leaves me.

3 replies on “Growing Speed”

Kathy Theresa Ponsays:
March 21, 2022 at 9:59 pm

Poignant reminder of time with our children! Thanks!

Reply
Anne Kurzwegsays:
April 20, 2022 at 10:40 pm

Those last three lines – beautiful.

Reply
Gillian Shearersays:
April 29, 2022 at 3:39 am

The joys and sorrows of seeing our children grow. Beautiful.

Reply

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