To the Children.... When you fell and bumped your knee, I kissed your tears away When things went bump in the night, and gave you bad dreams You came running to me, and I let you under the covers with me And we held out against the nightmares, and I kissed your tears away When you got into a fight, and your best friend made you cry I felt sorry for you, and gave you a hug, and I kissed your tears away When you fell in love and it didn't work out the way you planned at all And you wondered what life's really all about, I kissed your tears away But by then, I only kissed them in my mind, as you were hard to find I always had my shoulder ready for you to lean on, to cry on And in my heart, I grieved with you, and I kissed your tears away And now, you are all grown up, and you're ready to face the world And you're leaving home to make a life for yourself, with courage And you are strong and brave and wise and good, and beautiful to see And as I watch you moving out the door, the tears are starting to fall But you see me there, and you stop and you smile that beautiful smile And you thank me again, and give me one more hug for the road And this time...you kiss my tears away. by Dona Pearson 4/30/00 Poetry