A contribution to the takeover of The Lounge by poets. And moms.

[nolabear]

The Last Time I Carried Him In From the Car

The last time I carried him in from the car
his feet dragged against the risers on the front porch steps,
his legs so long we might have been dancing.

The last time I carried him in from the car
his head smelled of boy musk, and sleep sweat.
It lolled on my shoulder, heavy, like when he was new
and neither of us could tell us apart.

The last time I carried him in from the car
I staggered in shock at the weight of him, the span of him,
while he whined at the new breaking of his sleep.
I moved so slowly it was like dreaming,
like walking in water, like gentling a yearling foal.

The last time, the very last time—
his heart and mine beat against
opposite sides of my breast,
throbbing in the orphaning night,
their rhythms twinning, uncoupling, saying goodbye,
the way they had been from the beginning.

[Swede]

1. Beautiful and a little sad.

[MiddleFingerMom]

2. Very, very nice!!!

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Well-written and so well-expressed. Beautiful.
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You gave me a distant glimpse of what it might be like to be the Mom I'm really not.
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You've been lurking with your poetry, haven't you?
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I'd like to see more of it.
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[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear nolabear...

I really like your style! This is so tender and melancholy all at the same time...

The last stanza is my favorite.

Yes, please.......more!

[tigereye]

4. great poem!

thanks!

[Chan790]

5. `You're very talented.

But you already knew that, didn't you? :D

[LeftyFingerPop]

6. Outstanding, nolabear. Very moving.

Thank you for posting this.

[nolabear]

7. Thanks, everyone. Having them grow up is bittersweet! He's now 26 btw

and though I love, love, love the man he's become, and I've never wanted my sons to stay small, I do kind of mourn those "lasts".

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

8. What a touching poem

Thank you for sharing it with us nolabear.