A poem, a thankyou, a surrender, a gathering tear

You know how it is, too?
you write a poem, it means
more than anything to you
while you’re writing it, and when you’ve
just finished it; then
you tremble for it, for yourself;
and it’s a bit like – I imagine –
the shadow of having to give up your child
for adoption… you look away,
close your eyes, walk fast out of the door,
looking back without your eyes…

then just one person, that’s
all it needs, says they like it…
and you read your poem with
a new warmth, as if
someone adopted it,
had it christened;
and it smiled.

poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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