I’m finally posting a poem that was published in the 2024 One Page Poetry Anthology (edited by Colin Graham), a print only publication which I received late due to a mail strike. Some wonderful poems here plus all proceeds from the sale of this book go to the World Wildlife Fund and Oceana, two organizations dedicated to the protection of endangered species and the preservation of their natural habitats.
Lynne Burnett 
Nicely said Lynne….
But stay but go…
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Thank you, June!
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That was gorgeous and heartbreaking. I teared up thinking of my own son who left the nest so long ago. Life has not been good to him.
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Thank you so much, Deborah! Sorry to hear your son has experienced difficulties. As mothers, we only want the best for them. I pray he finds his way🙏
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Congratulations!
This is like a breath held for what seems like an eternity, and even when that moment is years behind you it can still take your breath away. I know I can feel this moment for each of my three children – 28, 23, and 15 years ago – like it was yesterday yet be thankful for what they’ve taught me since then.
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Ken, this is so wonderful to hear – thank you! You completely “got” it/me! And yes, as parents, it’s so heartwarming to grow as they grow😊
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Lynne, this is luminous and true. The “great wind” of adolescence, the ache of “puer aeternus,” and that final surrender to the “white-capped future” all land with quiet force. I love how the music metaphor—“liquid notes,” the child as instrument—captures both terror and grace. You’ve distilled the letting-go into images I won’t forget. Bravo.
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Oh Michael, you made my day – thank you for your insightful comments – I love that this poem so completely connected with you 💜
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