Walking hand in hand

Your seven.

Wide eyes.

Big world.

Small warm hand

Reaches for and

Buries in my paw.

Mans hand, callouses and oil.

But still fists full of love.

Protection and love.

We kick leaves.

High

Golds and reds.

Asphalt coated

In browns and beauty.

The leaves fly up

Whirl and flow

Swirling

Unplanned patterns.

Stick to our shoes

As we share laughter.

Damp musty smells of comfort

And lives changing.

Dying leaves reminders of life.

Your smile pure,

Fearless and uncaring.

Hair long and windblown fair curls.

Your smiles 

Become my smiles.

Your laughter is my laughter.

The churchyard calls out

With thrush and crow.

Sue waves a lollipop

At Fords and vauxhalls

Beware… children.

Our children.

Stop.

We stroll on black and white.

You see friends

Laugh and wave.

Moments I try to save.

Feel the warmth of company.

Mums dads sons daughters.

Smile laugh and wave again.

I kiss you, still can.

Your still young enough.

Goodbye.

Goodbye dad.

You run 

Friends run

Run together.

You don’t look back.

Because you know

I’ll always be there.