Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Thoughts upon attending my daughter's High School Graduation

Women I've Known

I've known many women
Having seen them for years,
Heard their words in the schoolyard,
All their hopes and their fears.

I've known women
Who worried,
I've known women
Who cried
With the joyfully fearsome
Sweet bitter goodbyes.

They would sit on the benches
(I see them there still)
And talk of the futures
Of their wants and their wills.

But their children will never
See quite what I've seen,
They'll change much of the settings
And the words
That have been.

For the women I've known
Have succumbed
(Through those years)
To a decade of handwringing
Hairsplitting cheer.

It's the cheer of the women
Who know that one day
That same schoolyard of laughter
Will pretend (far away)
To be more of what wasn't
And yet less of what was,
And a great deal of the other
With a teacher and class.

With a shoe
And a notebook,
A quite small
Pencil-case,
Something lost
And then found
On the child's small face.

And with a label so named
That it's easily seen,
Those same women I've known
Know too well
Where I've been.

8 comments:

trash said...

how lovely Eleanor. Thank you for your words. the tie-in to my life right now.

saffronlie said...

Aww, that's lovely. Congratulations to your daughter for graduating, and to you for helping her get there.

Badger said...

Aw, so sweet. I think a lot about those other mothers, too, as my kids get older.

And congratulations to your daughter!

eurolush said...

She's graduated already??? Wait. I thought she still had exams?? What about my chocolate care package?? OH NO!!!

PS-Are you really the parent of a high school graduate???

WOW. *whispers* You're old.

PPS-Love the poem!

Julia said...

I hope you know we're sitting on those benches right next to you cheering you and Miss Commentbox on too! Many many congratulations.

Frogdancer said...

My oldest son has his graduation next week.
Where did the time go?

RW said...

congratulations to you for surviving the years.

your words are lovely.

my daughter is in grade 9 and we have some time left. we are in a good place now and I am very thankful.

Anonymous said...

God, I'm gone a couple of days and you decide to write such a touching poem.
Gorgeous.
Congrats to Miss Commentbox!
Paola