Where Did the Time Go?

Where did the time go

like a mime making many faces

while silently slipping past me,

it's a crime all those places

I can never go back to

So sublime were

those first years

full of love, joy and tears

silly fears for our sweet dear,

he survived.... he's still here.

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15 now and a young teen

pretty soon he'll be heading

off to college for knowledge

4 years almost unseen.

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Now that little red wagon

gathers dust, axles dragging

"Town and Country," all fading

many years it's been waiting

for him to take a ride.

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That old chair's

so much smaller

then my son whose grown taller,

it still sits on the deck

faded gray and bug specked

where he laughed and presided,

making us so delighted

on an Spring day when he

was our sweet baby boy.

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Three of four dogs

he played with

lie now under the willow

Mother earth is their pillow

dear Old Kibbles And Bits

and just recently Nickel

sleep on long past his growing

in eternities grip

where did all that time slip?

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Who decided that we

only get such short time

to frolic with our kids

all the fun that we had

is now "Babyish Dad!!"

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Only photos and memories

will be left to remind us

of what we left behind us

when he's moving away

on some far too soon day.

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But I reckon that wagon

once again will be sagging

with the weight of grandchildren

he will someday bring to us.

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That old chair will hold giggles

and oh, so cute wiggles

of a baby that my son

will also watch rise

till it's time for goodbyes.

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There'll be new puppies playing

by each grandchild who's staying

for a few days with us

while his mom and dad take

a new parent break.

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So carry on time,

you might take what I treasure

and there's no way to measure

the depth of such loss.

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But time is a circle

its hands keep on turning

and I know as I'm yearning

that they'll come back around.

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Bringing my son back to me

with his own children truly

a return that is due me

in a loving investment

rife with great sacrifice,

making life doubly nice.

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