Quietly Breaking

Sweet babe of mine
Turned sour
The sins of the father evident

Still you are mine

I remember the soft baby skin
And your toothless smile
And laughing eyes

Those memories sustain me
During troubled times
Of adolescent angst

If only I could go back
For one more cuddle
One more lullaby
One more bedtime story

Instead I can only look on
As your baby skin sprouts manly growth
Your once sweet mouth spits angry words
And your laughing eyes turn cold

My heart quietly breaks
There must be an easier way
To break free of me
Than to break my heart

But this is the way you have chosen
Or maybe it's the only way you know

So I'll keep loving you
Trying to determine the right distance
Close enough to catch you when you fall
But far enough
So that you feel the freedom you crave

Sweet babe of mine
Turned sour
The sins of the father evident

The love of the mother infinite