7:00pm
"Daddy," you said
with the stars all around
and the moon peering down
through thick halloweeny skies.
"Daddy," you said, "I wish we could stay just the
way we are now. I wish we could have life forever.
You and me and Mikey and Mommy with all the
people in the world.
Just the way we are now...forever."
So I picked you up and found your face full of questions
and innocent childhood dreams looking up at me.
I held you close and kissed your cheek and whispered,
"I wish that you could stay like this my little boy
so I could hold your little body next to mine
and touch your golden hair
and windswept face."
And then I pressed my cheek close to you and smelled
your bubble gum world, your little boy smell
that only little boys can have.
And I felt the wrinkle of your new winter coat
and the warmth of your knitted cap.
I squeezed your little body and said," But you can't stay little
cause you have to grow and live
and stretch your body tall.
You have to change and be a man some day.
But I'll watch you through the windows
of my eyes and try to share with you.
I'll be there to hope for you and stand beside you
if you need me."
"But most of all my little boy,
here in the dark cloud-filled November night,
most of all, I don't want you to change
I want you here with me
Here in the darkness unnoticed,
Here alone forever.
For you are the part of my being
that holds the puzzle parts of me together
and when you go..."
"Yes my little boy, I too wish we could stay
just the way we are now. I wish we
could have life forever. You and me and Mikey
and Mommy with all the people in the world.
Just the way we are now...forever."
Massachusetts. I taught at Hampton Academy in Hampton, N.H. and later co-authored a book of poetry entitled "Chalk Dust" while a member of the English Department at Pentucket Middle School in West Newbury, MA. I also taught at North Hampton School.
As a member of the New England Press Association I have written for several regional newspapers over the years including the Portsmouth Herald, the Exeter Newsletter, the Hampton Union, and the Newburyport Daily News.
I have performed poetry readings for the Maine Library Association in 2001, the New England Library Association in 2002 and 2003, the New Hampshire Library Association in 2003, and the Massachusetts Library Association in 2004 and several schools and libraries throughout the region.
Tony Marino
The Teacher Poet
World Book