Family + Kids

A Poem

by erin |

Something thoughtful for the week ahead.

—

Marie Howe, “Hurry”

We stop at the dry cleaners and the grocery store
and the gas station and the green market and
Hurry up honey, I say, hurry,
as she runs along two or three steps behind me
her blue jacket unzipped and her socks rolled down.

Where do I want her to hurry to? To her grave?
To mine? Where one day she might stand all grown?
Today, when all the errands are finally done, I say to her,
Honey I’m sorry I keep saying Hurry—
you walk ahead of me. You be the mother.

And, Hurry up, she says, over her shoulder, looking
back at me, laughing. Hurry up now darling, she says,
hurry, hurry, taking the house keys from my hands.

 

p.s. Another lovely poem here.

  • It is so true! We hurry through life, where we shold stop and go with the flow. Wonder, what we would miss – if anything!

  • I remember reading years ago about how to let your kids be your tour guide through life (to see life through their eyes). Shortly, thereafter, I dropped my daughter off at Kindergarten and afterwards, along with my 3 three year old son, we drove to the grocery store. We got out of the Van and I went to the back of the Van to bring out our canvas grocery bags. Earlier that morning it had lightly rained and out of the corner of my eye I could see my son cupping his hands together as he saw a water drop about to fall from the lifted trunk door. Sure enough he caught the drop in his hand and beamed so big. I closed the trunk and started to walk towards the grocery store and there was a small dried up imprint of rain on the ground and the sun hit it just right which left a myriad of colors sparkling in the sun and of course my son saw it and said look momma. I was so amazed at his ability to see the beautiful all around him. He was the best tour guide and what a beauty of a morning it was.

  • Oh, this. There are days when it’s Hurry, stop messing around please, come one now… Then I remember to ask him if he’s wearing his Dawdle-Pants today, which makes us both laugh and takes the pressure off.

    But seriously, there are days when a little speed (attention) would be much appreciated! = )

  • I’m not suggesting you post this on your blog – it’s a message for you.
    I appreciate the careful way you write – measuring every word, every tone. I love the love you have for your family and life. I am quite a bit older than you are and all my children are grown – I miss those early days although I was so impatient then (I regret that impatience)!
    Here is a poem that devastates me in its simplicity and truth: https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/050.html
    Thank you for your blog.

    • oh marianna —- this was the most encouraging poem to read this morning. thank you for such a gift, for sharing such beauty with me. thank you!

  • amazing… Just last Tuesday I was reflecting with my mom and I told her that I am sick of hearing myself say the word “hurry up!” I don’t like it and I want to stop.
    In fact, after my sons last day of school on Wednesday he asked me on the way home “Does this mean we won’t have to be in such a hurry now that schools over?”
    Convicting words indeed.
    Thank you for this.

    • I hear those school schedules can be SUCH A BEAR, though. I hope you enjoy lots of rest this summer, mama!

  • My children are all grown.How often I wish they would come back, not hurry up. But for me, today, I needed this message. I tell myself a thousand times a day to hurry up. Hurry up to that second career. Hurry up to that weight loss goal. Hurry up to meditation and slowing down.

    This was a important message to myself today… thank you.

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