PICTURES FROM MY HEART

THERE'S A MOVIE CAMERA
THAT IS PLANTED IN MY MIND.
FLASHING SCENES FROM YESTERDAY
TO TAKE ME BACK IN TIME.

ON THIS MOVIE SCREEN I SEE
THESE PICTURES FROM MY HEART.
I ROLL THE FILM NAMED "MEMORY"
AND WATCH THE MOVIE START.

FIRST, A LITTLE BABY GIRL
THERE CRADLED IN MY ARMS,
I WISH TO HOLD FOREVER...
TO KEEP HER SAFE FROM HARM.

A FLASHING SMILE...A TINY TOOTH...
SHE'S TAKING HER FIRST STEP!
SHE;S WALKING AND SHE'S TALKING
IN THESE PICTURES THAT I CATCH.

SNEAKING OUT INTO THE RAIN
SHE'S WET FROM HEAD TO TOE!
I'M SCOLDING HER AS I COMPLAIN,
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO!"

THE SCARY LITTLE ACCIDENTS;
THE BRUISES AND THE BUMPS;
THE MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WE SPENT
WITH MEASLES AND WITH MUMPS;

A YELLOW BUS COMES DOWN THE ROAD,
IT'S STOPPING AT MY HOUSE ...
TO TAKE AWAY MY LITTLE GIRL...
TO FILL MY MIND WITH DOUBT!

AND THEN THE LONG DAY STRETCHES.
WHY IS THE BUS SO LATE?
I VIEW THE MILLION SKETCHES
THROUGHOUT HER LIFE I WAIT.

I SEE THE TEENAGE TEARS SHE CRIES
WHILE HIDING IN HER ROOM.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THIS SPECIAL GUY
SHE'D FOLLOW TO THE MOON.

THE MEMORY SCENES FLASH ON AND OFF,
THEN STOP...THIS SPECIAL PLACE.
TODAY MY LITTLE GROWN UP GIRL
IS STANDING IN WHITE LACE.

THE CEREMONY'S STARTING ...
AS I BOW MY HEAD IN PRAYER.
AGAIN THE FILM STARTS ROLLING
DEEP IN MY HEART SOMEWHERE.

I'M ASKING GOD FOR BLESSINGS
ON YOUR MARRIAGE TRUE AND STRONG.
I ASK FOR HIS PROTECTION ...
WHEN ROCKS YOU'LL WALK UPON.

I KNOW HE HAS A SPECIAL PLAN
THE TWO OF YOU WILL SHARE.
MY LITTLE GIRL, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND
AND KNOW A MOTHER'S CARE.

FOR WHAT I DID OR DIDN'T DO
THROUGHOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD YEARS
THAT DIDN'T FIT GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU,
I NOW REPENT IN TEARS.

I THANK HIM FOR A BRAND NEW SON
AND PRAY I'LL DO MY PART.
I THANK HIM FOR THE MEMORIES...
THESE PICTURES FROM MY HEART.

This poem was a finalist in the August 2011 poetry contest