Forever

The child understands that your love is forever
As permanent, that is, as the smile that overcame you
As the tongue you snuck out as you played peekaboo
The child sees clearly, trusting in this truth
And worries not
Forever is your burden to share
No, the child does not worry
The duty of worrying is yours alone

And so child, I worry about what you might learn about forever
That the things that God creates only approach forever
That the pleasures of the senses are best appreciated in proportion to their rarity
That even hugs and kisses have their limits
That your very presence is not guaranteed
That your very smile, mischievous at that, might be fleeting
That your roving mind, lively and inquisitive, might enter autumn
That those unending questions could one day be silenced
That, in this land - prone, you could be brought low for a nothing
That there is a difference between forever and eternity
That here on earth, we can only promise forever
That indeed, we are only promised forever

But my child, even if eternity is foreclosed to us by fickle gods
Know that my love is forever
Know this, my child, forever
Forever and a day

Forever, a playlist

A soundtrack for this note, one of my favorite playlists, quietly devastating soul (spotify version)

• 4ever by Entouch
• Forever by Jonathan Butler
• Forever in my Life by Prince
• Make it Last Forever by Keith Sweat
• Always and Forever by Heatwave
• All I Want is Forever by Regina Belle
• Forever my Lady by Jodeci
• Forever, for always, for love by Lalah Hathaway
• Forever, for always, for love by Luther Vandross
• This love is forever by Howard Hewett

File under: life, love, culture, parenting, life, observation, poetry, toli

Writing log. June 6, 2022