He Has Always Been My Tiny, Tiny Baby—Free Verse

I walked by the room

And there were the shoes,

Broken arms, and straitjackets

Like my grandson would wear

.

As posters taped to the walls.

The old skateboard wheels

And slotted screwdrivers

And transportation demands.

.

But I only see him

With my eyes closed.

A two year old taking steps

Through the windows projection

Of the evening sun.

.

And his mother’s promise

Walking out the door

And getting into the car

With that man we didn’t know.

***

A free verse poem has no set pattern for line or stanza length. Rhyme is not used, or it is used sparingly. The line length and the rhythm or the lines are dictated by the natural rhythm of speech or other concerns such as emphasis on a particular word, image, or idea.

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