First & Lasts

Squalling newborn in white hospital light, 

Your heart beats an unfamiliar rhythm against your rib cage. 

You go from firsts to lasts in the blink of an eye, 

First steps, first day of school, 

Pretend you aren’t worried, 

First airplane flight, taking off felt like flying, 

First tiny hand squeeze at night, it set tears in your eyes, 

First arguments about the dishes and bedtime, 

First birthdays that end so soon, 

First sleepovers and friends, 

First time away from home, 

You waited by the phone and hoped it would ring, 

First laughs and first words, 

But what you don’t know is how quickly 

Time flows past your doorstep, 

Because the first turn into lasts 

Before you’ve had a chance to savor everything. 

Last day dropped off at school, 

Last night sleeping with a stuffed animal, 

Last time swinging in the park and jumping off, 

You always wanted to be there to cushion the fall, 

Last bus ride home from school, 

Last lunch you packed at night, 

You didn’t know how much you missed it 

Until you couldn’t do it anymore, 

Last time jumping in that puddle on the side of the street,

It creeps up on you, doesn’t it? 

The realization of something once completely yours,

Slipping away from you, 

Slowly, then all at once.