Silent goodbye

In the quiet of the dawn, they softly go,
Children of our hearts, now fully grown.
Once they danced beneath our watchful eyes,
Now they chase new dreams, beneath new skies.

Their laughter echoes in these empty halls,
Faded footprints on these weathered walls.
We held them close through storm and calm,
Now they slip away, hand in palm.

Their voices once filled every room,
Now silence hangs, a heavy gloom.
The toys they left, now gather dust,
In the spaces where they placed their trust.

We raised them up, to spread their wings,
But who knew the ache their flight would bring?
In their joy, our sorrow hides,
For every farewell, a part of us dies.

Yet we smile as they walk away,
Knowing love is the price we pay.