My dishes went unwashed today
I didn’t make the bed
I took his hand and followed
Where his eager footsteps led.
Oh yes, we went adventuring
My little son and I…
Exploring all the great outdoors
Beneath the summer sky.
We waded in a crystal stream,
We wandered through a wood…
My kitchen wasn’t swept today
But life was gay and good.
We found a cool, sun-dappled glade
And now my small son knows,
How mother bunny hides her nest,
Where Jack-in-the-pulpit grows.
We watched a robin feed her young,
We climbed a sunlit hill…
Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,
We plucked a daffodil.
That my house was neglected,
That I didn’t sweep the stairs,
In twenty years no one on earth
Will know, or even care.
But that I’ve helped my little boy
To noble manhood grow,
In twenty years the whole wide world
May look and see and know.
~ Author Unknown
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
What a beautiful poem! Very touching. I’d never heard that before. Thank you so much for sharing!
No worries Melissa, thanks for dropping by!
I have tears in my eyes. Very beautiful.
mind if I share it over my blog too?
Of course Patricia! I don’t mind at all! It’s a pity the author is unknown. It’s a beautiful poem.
wow, such a lovely poem!! thanks for sharing!!
No worries Kerri! And thank you for visiting my little blog!
how beautiful
Yes it is Sheryl. Thanks for popping by.
Love this poem, thank you for sharing
No worries Melissa!
I have just spent a day with my son while my in-laws spend the day with my daughter and this poem just made my day that much more special.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
It is my absolute pleasure.
What a lovely bit of serendipity!
This is just so true! I gave up work when my eldest son was born and was lucky enough to have 8 years at home raising him and his younger brother. Makes it all worth while now when my grown up boys tell me how much they loved their childhood and the time I spent with them. Not everyone can do that but every minute you can spend with them is so precious as those years go by so quickly. Thanks for sharing such a lovely poem.
I was glad to share it Margie! You are right, not everyone can spend all the time they want to with their children. We can, however, all make special moments like those described in the poem. Sometimes I think we take our kids for granted, and then turn around and say, “Where did all the time go?” at their 21st birthday. I think that’s what this poem is about, just being in the moment with your kids, no matter how much time you have.
Thanks for popping by!
Great poem and what a gorgeous picture too x
Thanks Lucy! It’s a photo I took of my youngest son at the park last December.
Such a nice poem…and so true. Thanks for sharing.
I was glad to share it Charlotte! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
That heart-touching poem moved me so much I had to share it on Facebook!
Thank you so much for sharing it with us. This is EXACTLY how I feel, and how I would love to do more often.
Brilliant! This ust made my evening so much better (and it was not even bad to begin with).
Oh thank you Ann! I am happy I could contribute a little to a wonderful evening.
Thank you for visiting!
That is such a sweet poem. Love it. Great photo to go with it too.
Thanks Ann! And thanks for you compliments on my photo as well. It’s one I took of my youngest last December.
When I read the title of this blog post, I was sure it’s going to be about an wedding anniwersary. Boy, was I wrong! Lovely poem, to bad the author is unknown. Nice photo as well.
Ooh, I tricked you didn’t I!
It is too bad the author is unknown. It would be great to give credit to the author for such beautiful words.
Thanks for visiting Kristina!
Beautiful post!
Thank you Carina!
Thank you so much for sharing this lovely poem. I found your blog via pinterest and plan to make some coasters but use them as a memory matching game for my son!