SILENT GUIDANCE
For all you didn’t say – thanks.
The stiletto heels I bought for too much money
and the blisters they left behind.
The dangerous-looking boy who turned out to be
less Mr. Right and more Mr. What Was I Thinking?
The nights my friends and I stayed up
far too late laughing far too loudly.
The strange diets.
The stranger mood swings.
College applications.
Job applications.
For all the times I know you wanted to say,
No. Wait. What are you thinking?
but didn’t – thanks.
Your loving silence helped me find my own way.
© 2016 Keri Collins Lewis. All rights reserved.
Kenn Nesbitt has challenged us to write poems for our mothers this month. Click HERE for more details.
Post your poem on our October 2016 padlet. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, October 28th, and one lucky participant will win an autographed copy of Kenn's delightful new anthology, forthcoming from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on November 1, 2016:
Aw! Nice sentiment, Keri. I think not doing something is often overlooked :-)
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to this, Keri! And now, as a mother, I KNOW what a struggle it can be to keep my mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteSweet thank you, maybe good for all those "how-to-parent" books. My mother always thought it was good advice to bite one's lip when you wanted to speak "wisdom". Lovingly done, Keri.
ReplyDeleteThank you, friends! How I've missed you all! (As a stepmother I often bite my lip and chant "natural consequences are the best teachers.")
ReplyDeleteWow. This is an amazing poem. I love it. Thanks so much for this one.
ReplyDeleteYour mother and mine are alike in their silent guidance. It was years later when she told me she never liked the boy that ended up being a jerk, but she let me go through it. That's one of the best lessons she ever taught me.
ReplyDeleteI love the easy, natural rhythm of this - and paired with a lovely sentiment.
ReplyDeleteTaking notes as I get ready to enter the teen years with my girl. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tribute to you mom
ReplyDeleteLovely. What a good mom!
ReplyDeleteKeri, what a wise mother you write about. She knew just what not to say to love you and lead you to the wonderful lady you are now.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point that what they don't do matters as much as what they do. Great insights.
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