by Madelyn Kastner
Once upon a gray September
My son was in the yard
Back then life was never better
Though in times things were hard.
I joined him in his little game
His face was overjoyed
Our relationship was never the same
The bond between man and boy.
We played until the sun had set
Repeated every day
But I don’t remember when I let
My son slip away.
Months later we grew distant
His kind hello turned to “‘sup?”
Then I knew in an instant
My son was growing up.
No matter how much I pulled him closer
He always got away
Conversations turned to silence
On the next September day.
Soon enough he graduated
I sat there watching proudly
As he gave his graduation speech
He started to speak loudly.
“I wish to thank my peers and teachers
For lifting me up each day
But most of all I thank my Dad
For being there every step of the way.”
“For 7 years I was blind
To the ways he tried to help me
But now that I’m older it has paid off
Now I can finally see.”
My eyes swelled up with tears
I had never felt so proud
He hadn’t expressed emotions in years
They spoke to me so loud.
My son has since moved out
In hopes to be a scholar
I am a very lucky man
To be able to be called his father.
So now I sit by my window
Wishing I could say
“Son, I’m glad I played with you
That gray September“
About the Author
Madelyn explores love and human connection through intimate, emotionally honest poetry.