they're but winged creations, our children, and they metamorphasize and unpeel even with the smile-crooked...
it happens when husband pulls me close, whiskers-touch-cheek and we make up from anger-words and baby is in this circle of three and he gurgles touches hand to father-face and we're tucked together, Christ-cocoon, and it begins
child's metamorphosis
and i see it, the unfurl of a wing, the unwrapping of womb when i love on another, bend low to pick up, wrap tight to let loose, the neighbor, the friend, the family
and it's butterfly-making, this savior-love, and it's all i can do to watch as he begins to fly even taking first steps, us holding tiny palms and him pushing away
colors translucent fragile
i breathe life even as i want to keep him folded
he looks so beautiful, my caterpillar with wings and it's all i can write now, for the thought of him one day...
flown.
broken friends, spill imperfect prose below. we'll read and weep and reply in the grace that makes us whole. a communion of bread crumbs and shattered wine bottles.
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*Prints of this commissioned painting are available here.*
54 comments:
Oh so beautiful...written like only a mother can. I too want to keep my little guy's wings folded as long as possible.
yes.i say through misty eyes . i understandwingl
Once again I read without remembering to have a tissue at hand. Your words are beautiful, so beautiful!
"And unpeel even with the smile crooked"...perfect line. I love it.
There's so much I like in this, Emily.
"make up from anger-words" How gracious God is to us as He turns what the enemy means to evil to good, as our children witness forgiveness and grace.
"for the thought of him one day . . flown" Bittersweet. One of my six has been flying for two years. While it still pangs at times, flight is glorious!
Oh, how I admire your ability to put such sweet thoughts into words. Written as a loving mother. Beautiful, Emily. Absolutely beautiful.
And that painting!
oh, the times of pulled tight love .
so so incredible how you swirl this into us,
this prose ,
this love we try to get right every day.
oh my youngest went to school this week...on the bus...away from me...and i dont think it was the cocoon i heard breaking...smiles. but it is wonderful to see them fly...
so beautifully expressed! I thank God for your gift, your way with words and paint. God is so good in His provision through all seasons of life, both the cocoon and the unfolding.
I love this and think it's beautiful and I'm not even a mother. Wonderful job.
Joanna
http://sosbrandneweyes.tumblr.com/
Emily, Loved your poem. Just returned from taking care of grandchildren while their parents took the oldest to University. The first fledgling has already flown.
My poem Mona's Song is linked but couldn't get the link back to work. It is on my tumblr site so if any readers want to comment they can reference it and hopefully with your permission leave comments here. Or they can also find the poem at http://beachanny.blogspot.com It's the 4th one down and leave comments there.
I need to find some solid synonyms for "beautiful" and "truth-filled", for fear of becoming redundant.
"and i see it, the unfurl of a wing, the unwrapping of womb when i love on another, bend low to pick up, wrap tight to let loose, the neighbor, the friend, the family
and it's butterfly-making, this savior-love,"
Yes. Butterfly making. Flying free and beautiful. I love the idea that every time we express His love we are a part of this process.
Your words make my heart take wing. They inspire me to yield to the One who wants to pour His love through me.
I love this. Your little boy is growing up so fast. I know this feeling. Embrace it, as I know you are.
Much love.
friend, once again beautiful. I am not a writer, so I apologize for mistakes. On this very day one year ago, my youngest, my only daughter, flew away to start her life. I never thought that day would come, you see she was born challenged. Letting her at the age of twenty eight go and live under the care of another was the longest moment I have ever held my breath. Like letting a child cross the street for the first time by themselves. "butterfly-making, this savior-love." She wanted to go. She was excited and happy, it was happening for her. She had watched her brother leave, she never could see why I wanted her to stay with me. My duty as a mother was to pray that all her wishes could come true and she would be safe. Even when I was scared. Today has been filled with tears of Joy, she has made it a year. Thank you Emily,(my daughter's name is Emily) I feel this was written just for me, across the miles from you.
~G~
love
i love your painting. my oldest is making that transition from little girl to bigger one while my baby can no longer really be called that. i mourn the ending of those stages while i rejoice in my daughter's ability to read chapter books and my youngest's learning to use sentences. this time has felt endless and yet they are growing so quickly. now to allow them to fly while providing a safe harbour for tired wings.
The painting is gorgeous, Emily. And your words and sentiment are spectactular.
and the flight is different with all of them.
Gloria
Your painting is beautiful and a great poem. Thank you for inviting me to 'Imperfect Prose.' My poem is an old one. :) River
Caterpillar with wings...I love that.
Emily
Yes time goes by so quickly when we are raising our children sigh, Mine are grown, one still in college, he is now a butterfly with wings set to take off and fly away to his own world he will create for himself.
Beautiful painting and endearing heartfelt words of a mother in love with her children.
Cheers,
Joanny
{i cannot even believe you wrote about butterflies, too.}
beautiful, beautiful post!
This was stunning to read... I love the parallel about metamorphosis. Such a great spiritual application.
Beautiful!
xo
Fly on in exquisite form, our first butterfly! Love, Dad & Mom
I was going to write the exact thing Joanna did, about saying the saying thing in my comments to you over and over: beautiful! True! Fragile and strong!
Boy this speaks straight into my heart this week, as my boys are back to school and I am alone in a big quiet house. This is what I pined for all those chaotic days...and now the quiet is so hard to accept.
Your word-picture and painting remind me of seasons when my children and I raised Monarch caterpillars, watched them create beautiful bejewelled chrysalises, emerge, stretch their wings and fly. It was a beautiful time in our lives together. My son used to watch his for hours. He named his caterpillar/butterfly "Sweetie," which was my nickname for him at the time. God spoke to my heart then; your words reminded me of His.
All of our children are butterflies...lovely poem...you beautifully explore the feelings within such an experience.
Beautiful. Ihave tears.
I kind of came at this one the opposite way...from the view of the child...hope that is okay....Thank you Emily for inviting me! :-)
Your words hold such meaning, Emily. Oh that I could but write with such emotion.
Great idea... thanks for the suggestion. Be Inspired Today! Love and Light, Sender
Emily, you are so blessed to have the wisdom now that takes many people so long to gain. Heard this once - "isn't it amazing that God charges parents to provide for their children both grounding and wings".
emily, i love this. i love the images of the butterflies (oh, how do i!) and our savior's winged grace, the metamorphosis. i have a best friend who has longed her whole life to be a missionary, but her husband does not feel called, and in revelation, she thought, just the other day how God must've given her this heart so she can send her daughters someday--such faith and such bravery! you remind me of her here, in the letting go, allowing of wings on young A.
much love
I love the metaphor of cocoon, caterpillar, butterfly - how it relates to growth of child as well as growth with the Savior.
Relating very much to your mama sentiments.
i forgot to tell you your artwork is beautiful, too! :)
This is good, someone asked me this weekend how old my son is and I said 13, he is 14 oops lol. I actually argued with my husband that he is only 13. I guess I'm subconsciously trying to keep him in the cocoon longer lol. Got home and asked him and with a big eye roll "mom I'm 14 don't you know how old I am." ;-) Love the painting and the writing!
it's so good when we see our kids develop and fly..couldn't play this week - but hope to link up again next week….claudia
stunning. this piece so poignantly portrays a mama's heart...well done, my friend, both the writing and the loving him.
Thank you Emily doll for stopping by and inviting me to join you so i just linked up with my poem that i already had up, hope it's okay :)
Wild Rose~
aren't they just awesome?? they fly so well, until we smother their powdery wings. such delicate balance, parenting.
Emily am following you as well thanks for that too, your prose is perfectly imperfect, loved it :)
oh, emily. wow. my pen is dry this week, but i keep coming back here to read this again. beautiful -- just beautiful.
Dear Emily,
What beautiful words. How fleeting our day to day time of being, instructing and loving our chhildren is.
You want them to explore, go out there, yet at the same time, oh how we don't want them to be hurt.
I often think of Mary as she "quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often."
The Lord bless you and keep you Emily.
Warm regards dear friend,
Ruth V
Butterfly-making. That must mean you are poised to fly too.
We let go, and they fly and the whole world, suddenly bigger, includes sky.
Oh, Emily. How you speak the stuff of life with such grace. Isn't it amazing the metaphors God has given us to hold onto...to understand our place in life?
So, so sweet. Thank you.
I'm torn, between wanting mine to stay as she is and wanting to see her soar.
I have to keep reminding myself...if they're so beautiful and fabulous *now,* there is much amazement to come.
Thank you for your words. A mother's journey is journey-filled! (duh. but you know?)
God speaks so beautifully through His creation, and your words are lovely, bittersweet.
I have linked with you today.
such love!
I am taken by butterflies.. they speak so loudly of new creations!
I loved this.
Oh, Emily, so perfectly beautiful. You have captured the heart of the mother, to nourish, nurture, grow, and launch, all the while dreading having to let go. So perfectly beautiful, as are you. Grace, sister.
Emily, butterfly-making . . . it took my breath away . . . a fresh perspective on motherhood and butterflies ~
When you have a lingering moment and perhaps your favorite something to sip . . . you might like to visit my butterfly post:
http://jodeneshaw.blogspot.com/2010/07/why-butterflies-are-such-big-deal-to-me.html
glad to find you thru blogging friend Bev Falls ~
grace,
~jodi shaw
"Christ-cocoon." What a lovely image!
hi emily...
a little late, but thank you for the encouragement.
blessings.
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