Thursday, May 10, 2012

Mama Swan {Bigger Picture Moment}


Little baby turns away,
starts to swim off
and mama is ready.
Watching.
Oh so attentive. All her senses on high alert.
She's ready to spread that wing and pull her baby back to the fold.
Instinct.
Maternal instinct.
Turn around little one.
This way.
Stay close to mama.

Little toddler turns away,
starts to wander off
but mama's ready.
Watching.
Oh so attentive. She needs extra hands to carry and catch.
Still able to spread her arms and pull the wanderer back to her embrace.
Instinct.
Maternal instinct.
Be careful little one.
Try this.
But stay close to mama.

A young child flies away,
starts off into the world,
and mama's just not ready.
Still watching.
And attentive. She listens and learns and listens some more,
her arms growing stronger with each hug, each tug - stretching ever wider.
Instinct? Not so sure...
Maternal? Absolutely.
Keep learning little one.
Eyes open. Heart open.
Don't venture too far from mama.

That teenager slips away,
playing around with the world,
and no one's ready for it.
Trying not to watch.
Staying oh so attentive. Looking for clues, catching moments, glimpses.
Mama's arms grow tired from the pulling. Weary from catching the fallen.
Nothing instinctual about this.
Maternal heart still pounding its rhythms.
Be safe little one.
Pay attention. Choose well.
Don't stay out too late....

Once grown, you step away,
making a place in the world,
and mama is ready.
Watching.
Oh so amazed! There's really nothing like it!
It's time to let you spread your wings and soar...
Time to fight that instinct
and let you go.
Be happy little one.
Live well.
And stay close to mama.



Simple BPM
This week's link up at
This Heavenly Live








11 comments:

  1. Adrienne, this is amazing. I love it.

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  2. I love the poem and the photo...and I love what it captures underneath about this phase in life you're going through. Beautifully written!

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  3. It's so wonderful how you see the parallel between the swan and our own mama hearts ... somethings are engrained into motherhood, no?

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  4. You made me cry with this one. This week I am thinking of a later step when Mama needs to fly away one final time. Turns out no matter how driven we are to pull away we never really outgrow our need for our mothers.

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  5. Beautiful photograph. I am greeting

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  6. Thanks for sharing your swans with us. I have loved watching the journey.

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