Juxtaposition is a literary term where two objects, people, places, or images are placed side by side for the purpose of contrast or comparison.
Parenting contains many moments of juxtaposition… Which I explore in this next poem.
Just watch them posed
Side by side
Father, son
Child, man
One tall, other small
One older, one younger
One walks, one carried
The weight on our shoulders greater
than the pounds of one little boy
Wise and foolish (and sometimes in reverse)
Mother, son
Woman, boy
I held you inside once,
I hold you outside now
Knowing, innocent
Tired and tireless
Woken from sleep
and sleep walking through some days
Rocking and still
Laughter, tears
In sharp relief
Against the pure
Background of love.
Visit my other posts in The Poetry of Parenting Boys Series!
