My Child

I have watched you
growing, changing, struggling
I have seen you
Striking out in frustration
crying out in pain
It is hard.
There is nothing, sometimes,
that I can do
to ease your burden
to simplify your life
to soothe your sorrow.
I would not have you be
anything, anyone
but who you are.
You...
with all your spirit,
your joy of living
your temperamental stubbornness...
but if I could
I would
carry your burdens for you
that you would struggle less
I would
take your pain
that you would hurt less
These things, I can not do.
and, so, my child,
I will teach you
to do all that you can
and be all that you are
I will not protect you
from the world;
I will let you fall
and help you to get back up
Most of all,
I will love you...
with every beat of my heart
with every breath that I take
with every part of my being.
I will love you,
Forever.

©Sherry-Lynn Krull
February 07, 2005

For Chayse...and every perfect baby

We dream of the perfect baby
Conceived in love, born with love
after forty weeks
     ten fingers
     ten toes
     a healthy body
     a healthy mind.
We dream...
and sometimes we get
what we didn't expect-
the perfect baby
     too early
     too small
struggling to survive
capturing a place in our hearts
in our lives
and changing us forever.
Showing us that perfection
is there...
     in all the work
     in every setback
     in every snuggle
     in every smile
     in every heartbeat
     in every breath
changing forever
our idea
of what perfect is.

©Sherry-Lynn (Jamieson) Krull
Dec. 07, 1999

You, my hero...

You do not yet trust in yourself~
your strength
your determination
your abilities.
But
they are there
As surely as the wind,
that wind which we can feel
but can not see
As surely as the stars
hidden by clouds
on a stormy night
You are there
Everything you are
      can be
      will be
is there
You, my hero, have battled beasts
within you, without you
Slain them
in their path of destruction
Held strong your fortress
Slain them
Proclaiming, "No more! Be gone!
For I am stronger than you!
I will not lose!
I will not fall!
I will triumph!
For, indeed, I am stronger than you."


for A.

© Sherry-Lynn Krull
Sept. 15, 2012

A Candle Burns

In memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11

A Candle Burns

As the cries fade to silence
and hope dwindles
a single prayer goes out
searching for answers
asking for truth
seeking understanding
and comfort
As the cries fade to silence
a candle burns
in memory
in sorrow
yet, too, in awe
for the human spirit
for the strength
the compassion
the heroism
the love
And somewhere in time
as candles upon candles flicker
and hearts mourn
comes Peace
in knowing that the human spirit
indeed, faith itself,
can not be killed
they will not die.

©Sherry-Lynn Krull
Sept. 23, 2001

My first poem, written at the age of 7

Cats

Cats are fat, cats are small
Cats are skinny, cats are tall
Some asleep, some awake
All of the at each clam bake

They sit and stare
They ruffle their hair
They're little brats
Those darn old cats!

There's house cats,
Persians and Siamese
and they sleep where they want to
without any lease.

©Sherry-Lynn Krull
1973