Milestones

ANNA DELAMERCED

I can see you riding your tricycle, zooming down the driveway at 3

At 4 you were telling legends in prose and poetry

You could dress yourself up at 5 in all the Disney costumes

But your mama said you didn’t need a physical tiara

To show you were already crowned with one

And here you are with another milestone

Are you excited to start in elementary?

Maybe you’ll love playing soccer on a team

I remember those days when I

Measured my life in fingers, not decades

And double digits felt so far away

You have miles to go, so much more to explore

Keep on going, little one, and remember

To treasure all these moments of wonder

When you look up and gaze at the stars

Finding light in the dark

Finding light was in you all along

You make playgrounds wherever you wander

A cardboard box becomes a palace to you

And I know this world is a great big one with

Oceans deeper than the eye can see

And galaxies beyond our own understanding

But just like your mama told you in the parking lot

Don’t cross the street without holding someone’s hand

And you’ll never walk alone

This poem is inspired by the children I met on my pediatrics rotation.