The moment you fell off the bed
still haunts me.
You, so little, so brittle, I should not have left you just out of reach in the middle of our bed.
I thought you were safe, you had been doing so well with sitting up.
Watching you teeter over,
all my breath
froze
within me
as I lunged to grab you
but could not catch you
I have yet to forgive myself and that image lingers.
You are older now and have fallen many times over
but it still hurts
to let you
fall.
on your own.
to rise
Though I know you must