A Mother's Lament
To each of my children
I gave you a little piece of my heart
And now I wish I had given all
So that I would not feel this aching pain
of final separation so searing
that it takes my breath away
This pain that all mothers must face
when their children sprout wings
and fly away, excited for the next chapter
in their lives, while we, with open wounds
must bind them and pretend
that everything is fine
while our hearts are breaking
I know that I must accept
what I cannot change
the tender, sweet days of mothering
are behind me and I cry
because I wasn't ready
Janice Kuykendall 07/07/14
