Garrett

Margaret V.Doran

Our two year old got new shoes
with lights in the soles
so we turned out all the lights in the house
creating a pitch blackness in the kitchen

And there was only the blackness
with five people waiting

"Dance," we told him
"So we can see where you are
so we can see your shoes
so you can light up the room."

But in that total blackness
there was no movement

At first he was afraid of the dark
but he couldn't see to go anywhere
or find his daddy or sister or brother
or me

Four people encouraged him
in the waiting blackness

Tentatively he lifted a foot
I couldn't see
and when he put it down
Red Lights blinked into the blackness

He tried it again and once more
Red Lights blinked into the blackness

Then, with delighted laughter
Red Lights winked and blinked
and spun and twirled and
Jumped and ran and . . . DANCED

And there was only the blackness
and the joyful, dancing Red Lights

And he cried when we finally
turned on the ceiling light
and ended for Garrett
the magic of his own dance

Copyright © 1997 Margaret V. Doran. All rights reserved.

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Read the poems for my other children: Sarah|Karen|Elizabeth|Brian

Updated July 2, 1999
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