The Peace Within a Child's Sleep...

When my daughter was just a baby I would put her in her crib at night, and during these moments I would find songs to sing to her to ease her to sleep. I would repeat the songs(about six in total) night after night. The trick seemed to work because she drifted off to sleep without much fuss. One night I even recall that I started to sing John and Paul's "Blackbird" and she began to sing right along with me. It was a special moment between a parent and a child. This poem is in memory of these ephemeral moments;



To Boo...

Do you remember
those off-key, night-songs
sung?
There were untold attempts
at “Sugar Mountain”
by Mr. Young.

And you like a nestled bird,
I had to try to sing
John and Paul’s “Blackbird.”
I’m sorry for you
that I was born tone deaf.

Sunken in cradled crib,
your scent irresistible.
Eyes, once so ocean-wide blue–
(I gave you the nickname Boo)–
closing shut, now night
waits;

for that succulent, silent sleep
a place of peace ‘dropping slow’
only a child knows..