Linger

or, you can't rush house training

Linger.
Here, in the hot sun,
wilting yellow grass and concrete aggregate surround,
trees still green and full, drawing up water from a deeper source.
You can't hurry trees, or puppies.

Linger, 
Here, in the reclining chair,
Clothing scattered and dirty laundry around,
You can't hurry ten-year-olds who need
to pick the just right outfit, 
a sweater stolen from your closet and her own bike shorts,
her hair clips and your perfume,
into deciding who they are
and also just being ready on time.

There's no sense in trying to rush any of it, 
no rush to relaxation somewhere at the end of daily to-do and want-to lists,
no trophy or rubric with a few boxes checked with your level of mastery.
Linger here, anyway.
Anyway, it's okay to sit in this uncomfortable heat, 
an ordinary view,
a puppy nibbling the grass,
the projects incomplete.
You don't have a choice, so you might as well decide to just linger here,
take your time.

---

This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs. Click here to view the next post in the series "Linger."

Baby Face