TED KOOSER, former U.S. POET LAUREATE, 2004-2006, notes the following about this poem. American literature is rich with poems about the passage of time, and the inevitability of change, and how these affect us. Here is a poem by Kevin Griffith, who lives in Ohio, in which the years accelerate by their passing.
It resonated with me, only too clearly when I read this today.
Hurry
We stop at the dry cleaners and the grocery store
and the gas station and the green market and
Hurry up honey, I say, hurry,
as she runs along two or three steps behind me
her blue jacket unzipped and her socks rolled down.
Where do I want her to hurry to? To her grave?
To mine? Where one day she might stand all grown?
Today, when all the errands are finally done, I say to her,
Honey I'm sorry I keep saying Hurry--
you walk ahead of me. You be the mother.
And, Hurry up, she says, over her shoulder, looking
back at me, laughing. Hurry up now darling, she says,
hurry, hurry, taking the house keys from my hands.
Oh my goodness, does that one resonate! No matter how much I want to just live in my little one's make-believe world where time stands still, there's always pre-school to get to or work to attend to. And how they do imitate us! It's finding a balance, where it's O.K. to be late sometimes, and we're not always saying 'hurry' that I'm working towards! Thanks for this poem Trudy, and for sending so many great poems and books my way!
Posted by: Deb | May 28, 2009 at 10:53 PM
I sure love the sweet photo :-) xoxo M
Posted by: Meghan Innes | May 29, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Is it Sophie?
Posted by: Deb | May 29, 2009 at 08:45 PM