I Often Go Walking

 Often, when the days grow dark,

I go back in my mind to bright mornings of

Struggling under the covers of safe-keeping.

My four-year-old forehead is pressed against hers

And I learn about giggling and Eskimo kisses

We share secrets and I feel

Most Important in All the World.

With patience and the voice of the sunrise,

She teaches me the words to her favorite song.

It speaks of meadows and clovers that

Remind me of Her -

Her warmth and her sweetness.

Then, I’ll find myself driving Home where,

Even though I’m all

Grown-Up

and

Responsible

and 

Independent,

I can still feel safe and special by

A stroll through her refuge of

Green Meadows.