My Sunshine Boy

 It's 4 AM

A drop of drool

hangs from the corner of your mouth, like 

a dew drop.

It's going to speckle

your blue pillow white.

Your round head

So small I could 

grasp it in my palm.

Actually no, I can't, 

that was a few years ago. 

Small, spiky hair, like

the center of a sunflower.

That baby smell gone. 

It's mostly football sweat and 

the dog, nowadays. 

They grow up so fast, they said. 

Not fast enough, I thought,

Shen sleep was scarce for me.

Now as I see your

soon-to-be-nine-year-old fingers -

they are as long as mine.

The legs have lost their baby fat,

they are almost athletic. 

baby teeth lost and new teeth

giving your face a character

Even learnt to tie your

shoe laces (almost)

As I watch your face

dreaming some fantastic dream,

you grasp my hand with those

not-so-tiny fingers.

When you open your eyes,

I'll be here

my sunshine boy, forever.