If You Are a Writer... Write!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Sun Block


I rub the lotion
across his tiny shoulders
then down small soft limbs,
not missing an inch
of arms or legs.
The swell of belly,
pushed out
in that gentle way
of a toddler,
and the small bend
of his back,
all get a coat
of slippery white.
Around the sweet curves
of tiny ears
and plump little cheeks
then the tip
of his nose,
all are protected.
Fingers and toes
are the last
to be covered.
And then he knows
he can
slip from between
my hands
to run headlong
into the surf
laughing out loud
in the carefree
joyous way
of a child
who never doubts
that he is
protected
by love
and so
has no fear
of anything.

And I know
in that moment
I will never stop
worrying
about everything.



Offered for the
Gold Puppy Blog Fourth Annual (Silent) Poetry Reading.

5 comments:

Reya Mellicker said...

Oh that is so sweet. And so contemporary, powerful, too.

Thank you!

I love your avatar. I used to look just like that.

Anonymous said...

You are very talented, that poem is really good.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful Laura Jayne.

I left you an award at my blofg. Have a lovely day!

Wait. What? said...

Wonderful poem! I could see him and smell the lotion!

Susan English Mason said...

This is really great and I related to it very much having raised 3 boys myself.