Growing Pains

--by Talya Hyman

If I had known that cradling you in my arms
With your silky cheek pressed to mine and
Teeny fingers twirled around my hair
Would be the last,
Would I have put you down?

If I had known that tucking you into bed
With your fairy princess duvet and
Stack of fantasy books beside you
Would be the last,
Would I have turned out the light?

If I had known that driving you to the playdate
With your backpack of crumpled homework
And box of worn dressed-up dolls
Would be the last,
Would I have kept on driving?

If I had known that holding hands crossing the street
With your skinny legs dragging us along,
Your jeweled toy ring digging into my palm
Would be the last,
Would I have wanted to reach the sidewalk?

But I didn’t know.
I didn’t know that for all times comes
A Last Time.
Because if I did,
Maybe I wouldn't have wanted you to grow up at all.