Every Little Sound You Make
Kaitlyn Nicole 1992 (United States)
It started at the time of birth,
waiting in anticipation for your first cry;
a universal signal of,
“I’m here. I’m breathing. I’m okay.”
From that day forward, every little sound you made was music to my ears;
a gentle reminder of
the beauty of life and the wonder of subtleties.
I would gaze at you for hours;
memorizing every inch and committing the
small details to memory:
the flutter of your eyes as you drifted to sleep,
the soft curve of your lips as you smiled;
a reflex that likely meant nothing to you, but everything to me.
The rise and fall of your chest was effortless;
so much so that I didn’t think to account for it in my mental appraisal of your perfection.
In hindsight, I was mistaken and foolish to take a crucial function for granted;
to think that because you took your very first breath the day you were born,
this somehow excluded you from ailment;
that your life force could never forsake you;
never forsake me.
During your illness, every little sound you made
was an alarm to my ears;
a jarring reminder of
the fragility of life and the potential for loss.
The distinction between a cry to eat and a cry to breathe,
is one I never wanted to know.
To this day, I am listening for your sounds;
embracing that the beauty of life
cannot exist outside its fragility;
appreciating every moment with you;
understanding that I do not choose your
journey and time on this Earth.
To love so fully and with such desperation for continuance, is not unique;
it is the experience of mothers all around the world.
Even so, I feel for you in a way I never have,
and I give thanks for every little sound you make,
for it reminds me,
“I’m here. I’m breathing. I’m okay.”
About this poem
This poem was inspired by my 6 week old baby’s battle with RSV illness that impacted her ability to breathe. Once she recovered, I started to write about the experience as a cathartic release and it is now one of my favorite poems.
Written on April 16, 2022
Submitted by kligman1792 on September 30, 2022
Modified on March 08, 2023
- 1:48 min read
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Quick analysis:
Scheme | axbC dbx xxe xxe xx xxxf e xdbx xx xxefxa xx xxeC |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic hexameter |
Characters | 1,726 |
Words | 360 |
Stanzas | 12 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 3, 3, 3, 2, 4, 1, 4, 2, 6, 2, 4 |
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"Every Little Sound You Make" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/139308/every-little-sound-you-make>.
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