Time With My Kids
The air smells good here
Better than I’ve ever known
I stop a little while longer
And let the sweet smell linger stronger
All the eyes that look my way
As if they call to me to say,
“Here I am, Papa.”
I love the sound of little words,
In here they only come in thirds.
I love the way they make the noise
Even when there are no toys.
I love their little fingertips
And all the messy bathroom trips.
I see the writing on the wall
And find it hard to see it fall.
I love the Panda and how she talks.
And the Owl and how she walks.
I love the Whale with his sad eyes.
And the Lion’s dapper guise.
I love the Monkey and her cheese.
And Elliot the Dragon’s sneeze.
I love the sleep I do not get.
But cherish more the moments when
I get to hold them close.
I stop a little while more
And revel in the dirty floor
The never-ending laundry pile
The leaving home that takes a while.
I breathe right in the chaos days
Wishing they would only stay.
I’m quite aware of how time flies
And, soon I’ll have to say goodbye.
I just wish that time stood still
And sat upon my windowsill
Where always I could take it down and
Spend it with my kids.
Written by J. Philip Harris