Nuzzled

You may have been our second child,
Our middle,
But you have never been
The middle of the pack.

You speak,
People listen;
You work,
Doors open;
You love,
Hearts melt—
Including mine.

Height is not all
This past year has brought you,
For you will keep rising, towering
No matter what age you turn
Or where in the world you go.

The truth is,
As you may or may not already know,
Even though you’re still not that old,
Everything you touch really does
Turn to gold.

Fourteen may be another year
Of Invisalign braces, growth spurts,
More acne, and incessant silly faces,
But these temporary appearances
Do not define you.

You, my son,
Are a treasure—
The eldest boy, becoming a man,
That I could have dreamed of,
Because you are too good,
Too perfect, regardless of what thoughts
May swirl around your head.

Just keep going,
Keep doing what you’re already doing,
Never stop being fully you.

It wasn’t that long ago you could snuggle
Between the crevices of your mom and me,
Or drape the entirety of your tiny body
Like a robed prince
In your tired blue blanket.

Those days are gone.

But however old you become
You can never outgrow squeezing
Into that hidden space in my heart.

There, you are forever nuzzled,
Asking for just a few more minutes together,
Smiling, warm, loved.