Fare Well
Forest D. Arnold

There will come a day.
Not too long from now.
          When they won’t
          need a bear
          to sleep with.

           When they will be too busy
          to enchant the day
          doing nothing
                    in their playful way.
Their independence,
          will lift a burden
          from their tired parents
Oh,
          but how to prepare them
          for the heartbreak of puberty,
          and taking their place
          in this crowded, graceless world.

So hard to stand back
and watch them struggle

           Lose their way
                    and then return
                                                  so many times,

                                        to the quiet inner voice

                                        they hear
                                        so clearly now.

 How You Can Be Published:

There are several ways. You can also send in poetry or short prose of your own to be considered for IN OUR OWN WORDS, our ezine. We also recommend looking at the Classifieds in Poets and Writers Magazine, visiting our Calls for Submission Page, or entering one of the contests like our "People Before Profits Poetry Prize". Only entires that include a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) will be returned, so be sure to include this with your work. See our editorial philosphy. All writing published in IN OUR OWN WORDS remains the property of the author.