There Will Come a Time

There Will Come a Time

by Linda Ellis, © 1999

There will come a time I won’t kneel to scrub
your latest masterpiece off the wall
or pick up all the toys you’ve left
on the stairs and in the hall.

There will come a time I may not hear
your sweet voice echo in my head
as I laugh aloud over yesterday’s
silly little thing you said.

There will come a time I’ll yearn for
peanut butter on my neck or face
left over from a lunchtime kiss
…or a little-arms embrace.

There will come a time that I’ll reach down
and they’ll be no hand to meet
to clutch safely in the palm of mine
as we walk across the street.

There will come a time I won’t bend
to kiss your sweet face lying where
now quietly sits a once cherished
brown and tattered teddy bear.

There will come a time I won’t open your curtains
to the light of the morning sun
saying, “It’s time to wake up for school…
get out of bed now, sleepy one.”

There will be a time I won’t be awakened
to a small shadowy silhouette
needing comfort from a bad dream
filled with worry…filled with fret.

There will come a time I will wonder
during each growing up phase,
if I truly appreciated
the special tasks that filled my days.

There will come a time you will be grown
and you’ll gradually leave behind
all the memories of these special tasks
to remain forever in my mind.

There will come a time I’ll sit alone
and wonder what to do
with all the extra time I’ll have…
that I used to spend on you!