For Mateo, What Will I Do Without You Poem by Juan Olivarez

What will I do without you?
I'm going to miss your smile.
And this old man, you barely knew,
Will be sad a good long while.

When you wave goodbye, in a few days,
What will this old man do?
I'm going to miss your impish ways,
And your temper tantrums too.

No more bottles of milk to fill,
No more crumbs in my bed.
No more hot plates of food to chill,
No more worrying if you've been fed.

No more Teen Titans, or Caillou,
Life will slowly fade.
just this old man, missing the new,
One that no longer makes the grade.

No more pacifiers, from the dollar store,
No more Grampa bring me a toy.
I know once you walk out my door,
I'll be bereft of joy.

I don't know when if ever,
I will see you again.
Because I know these ties we sever,
Will only cause us pain.

Maybe I'm injecting too much drama,
Into this sad affair.
After all the little charmer,
Will always know I care.

And two hundred and fifty miles,
Is not that far at all.
To find a tiny golden child,
Just to play catch with a ball.

God only knows how hard it is,
To watch him move away.
After he gives me that last kiss,
I wish he'd stay, one more day.

10/10/2014 ALTON TEXAS