If tomorrow starts without me
Please know that I'm still here
If tomorrow starts without me
please know that i'm still here
admiring your strength
and cheering you on
as I always have
(a bit too loudly perhaps)
embarrassing you at every gymnastics meet
and volleyball game
and dance performance
and that time when you read your story to your class about horses
at the fifth grade writers festival
and you learned how loud my clap could be in a quiet room.
.
If tomorrow starts without me
please know that i'm still here
in the memories we've shared,
the long walks in the woods
talking about boys and school
and work and life
figuring out what steps to take
sometimes with the dogs and sometimes just us
finding our footing on uneven ground
wishing we, too, had four paws
and making our way
together.
.
If tomorrow starts without me
please know that I'm still here
in the way people say you look just like me
and we pretend it can't be
since you're adopted
but I know it's the expressions
and the way you hold your head
and the way you command a room
and they way we've taught one another
how to stand tall
and be brave
and be strong.
They can see that in us.
.
If tomorrow starts without me
please know that I'm still here
in the words "I love you"
that fall so easily from my mouth
and could just as well be your name
from the number of times you inspire me
to say them to you.
Remember the time you stopped me
and made me say them
before a road trip without you,
reminding me
that those were the last words you wanted to hear
in case I didn't come back.
.
submitted in response to:
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About the Creator
F Cade Swanson
Queer dad from Virginia now living and writing in the Pacific Northwest. Dad poems, sad poems, stories about life. Follow me on insta at @fcadeswanson
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insight
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (20)
So beautiful and such proudness of your son beaming out of every line.
Very touching! I love it! Congratulations on TS!
Oh I wished you'd ordered it differently so it didn't end on such a sad note 😢
Wow. This brought tears to my eyes. Incredible.
These entires are crushing my soul. This made me cry while reading, amazing!
Wow. Fabulous love poem for you child! Well done and TOP STORY congrats!! 🎊🎉🥳🥳
"If tomorrow starts without me please know that I'm still here in the words "I love you" that fall so easily from my mouth and could just as well be your name from the number of times you inspire me to say them to you." Gosh I'm just tears.
This is exactly what I feel for my children too exactly 🥰🥰
Congratulations on your TS.
Lovely poem and sentiment. Congratulations on the Top Story.
Back to say congrats on the TS.
Lovely poem for the challenge ✅.
Simply beautiful words. Well done.
So so amazing .i love your content and subscribed. Kindly reciprocate by subscribing to me also . thank you and keep it up
A somber but beautiful take on this challenge. I loved it!
Oh 🥹 You had my heart from so early in this, as soon as I realised who it was to. This is the poem I feel every child (adult or small) wishes their parent wrote them ❤️🙏🏻 A brilliant use of the prompt 🥹
Deeply felt
This was just so touching in so many ways. You have this ability to place words just so, and they never fail to move me in some way. This was relatable in that it mirrors conversations I've had with my youngest son about death and where I am when I'm no longer bodily here. I loved it so much, it made me well up.
-reminding me that those were the last words you wanted to hear in case I didn't come back.- 😮 An extremely touching end to a beautiful poem.
Oh ... I hadn't planned to get teary-eyed today ... but that is just so beautiful! 🩷 I love it so much! A loving parent's heart shown in words 🩷