I wish I could capture
The scent of your hair
And have it to dwell on
Years and years from now
The squint of your eyes
In the bright summer sun
And the kick of your feet
Before you learned to walk
The way you sneeze
And Eskimo kisses
Your heavy breaths
Sound asleep after dark
I wish I could save in a treasure box
Your genuine laugh
That knows no regrets
Your carefree-ness
I wish I could bottle up
Those chubby little legs
And that you’d always fit
Neatly curled up on my chest
The babble before your voice came
The softness of gums with no teeth
The neediness and the independence
Only you can feel both in the same day
Your sweet growing fingers
That grasp everything near
Your big brown eyes
That follow me, and your dad, and the dog, and the rest
I wish I could hide away the contentment of the moment
When we dance together
Even though you can’t stand
And know that at any time, I can go back to it.
The splash in the tub
Your first little nightmares
Your finger holding mine
The taste of your tiny toes.
Even if it’s just for the day.
