My Child, II

My child
Rocking you gently
humming your dreams to you,
you stir,
awaken from such
soft stillness;
You gaze into my face
reflecting my love.

Have you
forgotten so quickly
The words I lashed you with,
my temper that tumbled out
toward you,
my tiredness that blamed you?

You look at me with such
trusting eyes.
Sometimes I turn from that look,
such trust is too much to carry.


My child,
I do love you
But Oh, How I fail you.
Forgive me;
and rest with me in
the arms that hold us both.