A poem for Daniel: I stand, watching over you

I stand, watching over you
In a dim lit room, the silence, the stillness
As you sleep, my thoughts move through the space between us
Softly, sweetly they approach the doorway 
Seeds in one hand, tightly grasped
The other hand empty, yet ready
With warm palm lines crossing and stretching from however, to whenever, to wherever
Opening the door, seeing a boundless world of anything
Time standing still, as still as I stand, watching over you


Seeking to plant all that I have
Seeds in hand, not all my own
Some seeds from there, some from back then
Others from yet to be, but all from up there
Sifted through wisdom, these few remain, yet plenty
Each chosen with a purpose clear, to take root in this place, unbound
Nourished with the soil of peaceful slumber
Watered by the rain that falls
As I stand watching over you


I plant each seed with steadfast care
The soft ground opening, eagerly reaching from my hand
It grasps quickly as I plant, my pace hastens to match
My other hand free, palm held patiently upwards, ready 
Only begun, yet already growing beyond imagination
Each seed, with a purpose, a boundless garden
For you who sleeps so silently, and makes the rain fall
A garden to supply your journey to where your heart leads 
Safe from a world that would seek to trample, what was so carefully planted
With seeds from struggle, seeds of hope, seeds for your dreams
The greatest gift I can give, as I stand watching over you


A garden of anything, of everything you want to be
With colors unseen, sounds unheard, tasting life abundant
For you, to live and go wherever you want, it is my deepest prayer
But if you lose your way, and you slip and fall from your garden
Take my other hand, I kept it free and ready, palms upward 
To catch you, to guide you back to your dreams
Whenever, however, wherever you find yourself, my son
We will plant another garden together, you and I
So let not a tear fall from your eyes
I promise, my dear son, the time will come for tears, you will see
Save them for the one that will make the rain fall, when they sleep
As you stand watching over them



For my dear son, and the greatest gift of my life.  Daniel, I love you in a place and a time that can only be truly measured in your dreams, as they are boundless.  


Daddy