Tonight I said goodbye to my baby

And remembered when I held you first.

Your cry of astonishment

Was music to my ears.

And later when you cried in pain,

And nothing else would do,

We danced till you cried no more.

Tears of exhaustion, tears of rage

They came and I wiped them away

As I comforted you in your time of need.

And you grew from baby to boy.

There were other tears shed that I never saw

Some on the inside, I’m sure.

Pain that you felt, but kept hidden away

Not for a mother to share.

And tonight as you held me in your arms

The tears that were shed were mine

For my role as a mother has come to a close

But you are my shining star.

2005