100 Beautiful Poems about Growing Up

When we are young, we yearn to be grownups and do everything we want.

We aspire to be firefighters, athletes, doctors, or teachers.

Life is riddled with disappointments and hardships that are important for maturation.

It is also a period of wonder, discovery, and independence.

These poems about the journey from childhood to adulthood shed light on all the different aspects of life.

This selection of poems about growing up will remind you of the joys and heartbreak of this unique in-between phase.

Let’s dig right in!

You May Also Be Interested In:

• poems about success
• poems about perseverance
• poems about patience

Poems about Growing Up by Famous Poets

In the first category, we are going to look at some of the most famous poems about growing up. You’ll love these poems since they have been written by famous poets.

1. The Retreat

       by Henry Vaughan

Happy those early days! when I
Shined in my angel infancy.
Before I understood this place
Appointed for my second race,
Or taught my soul to fancy aught
But a white, celestial thought;
When yet I had not walked above
A mile or two from my first love,
And looking back, at that short space,
Could see a glimpse of His bright face;
When on some gilded cloud or flower
My gazing soul would dwell an hour,
And in those weaker glories spy
Some shadows of eternity;
Before I taught my tongue to wound
My conscience with a sinful sound,
Or had the black art to dispense
A several sin to every sense,
But felt through all this fleshly dress
Bright shoots of everlastingness.
O, how I long to travel back,
And tread again that ancient track!
That I might once more reach that plain
Where first I left my glorious train,
From whence th’ enlightened spirit sees
That shady city of palm trees.
But, ah! my soul with too much stay
Is drunk, and staggers in the way.
Some men a forward motion love;
But I by backward steps would move,
And when this dust falls to the urn,
In that state I came, return.

2. My Heart Leaps Up

       by William Wordsworth

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

3. I Remember, I Remember

       by Thomas Hood

I remember, I remember,
The house where I was born,
The little window where the sun
Came peeping in at morn;
He never came a wink too soon,
Nor brought too long a day,
But now, I often wish the night
Had borne my breath away!

I remember, I remember,
The roses, red and white,
The vi’lets, and the lily-cups,
Those flowers made of light!
The lilacs where the robin built,
And where my brother set
The laburnum on his birthday—
The tree is living yet!

I remember, I remember,
Where I used to swing,
And thought the air must rush as fresh
To swallows on the wing;
My spirit flew in feathers then,
That is so heavy now,
And summer pools could hardly cool
The fever on my brow!

I remember, I remember,
The fir trees dark and high;
I used to think their slender tops
Were close against the sky:
It was a childish ignorance,
But now ‘tis little joy
To know I’m farther off from heav’n
Than when I was a boy.

4. Solace

       by Ruby Archer

Though Life will rob me of my childhood days,
And hedge a way for free, unbidden feet,
It cannot steal my childhood thoughts and lays,
Nor break the spell that lets me hear the beat
Of Nature’s heart, and catch her whisper sweet.

5. The Scholar

       by Annette Wynne

When I was ignorant and small
I used to have great fun all day,
But now that I am wise and tall
I must pretend I never play;
And so whenever people look
I keep my eyes tight on my book.

6. Youth

       by Adelaide Crapsey

But me
They cannot touch,
Old Age and death…the strange
And ignominious end of old
Dead folk!

7. When The First Teeth Go

       by Amos Russel Wells

It is infancy’s old age
When the first teeth go;
It’s the turning of the page
When the first teeth go;
It’s farewell to merry youth
With its innocence and truth,
With its tenderness and ruth,
When the first teeth go.
There are novelties of pain
When the first teeth go;
Quick to lose and slow to gain,
When the first teeth go;
Ugly vacancies appear,
New and lisping tones we bear
‘Tis a most erratic year
When the first teeth go.
Ah, the sober thoughts we think
When their first teeth go,
And the rising tears we wink
When their first teeth go!
For the coming teeth must chew
Many meals of bitter rue,
And their sorrows come in view
As their first teeth go.
Yes, but grand teeth come instead,
When the first teeth go,
Strong for meat and white for bread,
When the first teeth go;
Though the crust is hard and dry,
Health and power in it lie,
And there’s better by and by;
Let the first teeth go!

8. Childish Griefs

       by Emily Dickinson

Softened by Time’s consummate plush,
How sleek the woe appears
That threatened childhood’s citadel
And undermined the years!
Bisected now by bleaker griefs,
We envy the despair
That devastated childhood’s realm,
So easy to repair.

9. A Fool’s Wish

       by Anonymous

I wish I could be the kind of fool I was in the days of yore,
When people could send me on idiotic errands to the store.
When I found the purse tied to a string, and discovered the sugar was salt,
And tried to pick up the county line for jolly Uncle Walt.
For now I’m a fool of a different sort, a less desirable kind,
The fashion of fool that dabbles in stocks and leaves his earnings behind;
The fool that toils for a hunk of gold and misses the only wealth;
The fool that sells for the bubble of fame his happiness and health.
Yes, now you behold in me the fool, the melancholy fool
Who has to go back, with his temples gray, to the very primary school.
And learn the fundamentals of life, the simple, essential things.
The body that lives and the mind that and the soul that trusts and sings.
And would I could be the kind of fool I was in the olden days,
The fool that would fall for an open trick and be fooled in those innocent ways.
I would give the whole of my bank account and the worldly success I am,
If I could go to the kitchen door to look for the gooseberry jamb!

10. The Return

       by John Burroughs

He sought the old scenes with eager feet —
The scenes he had known as a boy;
“Oh, for a draught of those fountains sweet,
And a taste of that vanished joy!”
He roamed the fields, he wooed the streams,
His schoolboy paths essayed to trace;
The orchard ways recalled his dreams,
The hills were like his mother’s face.
O sad, sad hills! O cold, cold hearth!
In sorrow he learned this truth —
One may return to the place of his birth,
He cannot go back to his youth.

11. The Season of Youth

       by William Knox

Rejoice, mortal man, in the noon of thy prime!
Ere thy brow shall be traced by the ploughshare of time,
Ere the twilight of age shall encompass thy way,
And thou droop’st, like the flowers, to thy rest in the clay.

Let the banquet be spread, let the wine-cup go round,
Let the joy-dance be wove, let the timbrels resound,
While the spring-tide of life in thy bosom is high,
And thy spirit is light as a lark in the sky.

Let the wife of thy love, like the sun of thy day,
Throw a radiance of joy o’er thy pilgrimage way —
Ere the shadows of grief come, like night, from the west,
And thou weep’st o’er the flower that expired on thy breast.

Rejoice, mortal man, in the noon of thy prime!
But muse on the power and the progress of time;
For thy life shall depart with the joy it hath given,
And a judgment of justice awaits thee in heaven.

12. The Young Artist

       by Hannah Flagg Gould

Ay! young dreamer, this is the hour
For the tablet to glow by the pencil’s power!
When the soul is pure, and warm, and new,
And believes that the world, like itself, is true—
When the sky is cloudless, the eye is bright,
And gives to its objects its own clear light;
Now is the time, while the heart is single,
For the painter’s touch—for the hues to mingle!
Now the portions of light and shade
Will on the delicate sketch be laid
To stand indelibly, all between
Life’s gay morn and its closing scene!
Honors may bloom on thy future way;
And the rays of glory around thee play.
But fame’s best laurels never will be
So dear as thy sister’s wreath to thee!
For, they will not set on a cloudless brow,
And a silken curl, as we see them now!
Fame will her envied crown prepare
For the whitening locks and the brow of care.
Its clustering leaves will not be lit
By the smile of a child, who has braided it!
As thy native castle, sublimely grand,
A beautiful structure, thou mays’t stand
High and unmoved by the tempest’s strife,
The bolt and the blast of the storms of life.
But should it be thus, there must come a day
When thy house will shake, and its strength decay;
When the light that will gild its crumbling towers
Must be left by the sun of thy childish hours!
Then, may their memory, like the vine,
Mantling over the ruin, twine,
And, spreading a living vesture, climb
To cover the rust and the tooth of time,
And curtain with verdure the mouldering walls,
Which shall not fade till the fabric falls!
Sister, gather the buds of Spring,
All dewy and bright, as they’re opening!
Treasure them up from the frost and blight,
For a lowering day and a starless night;
And they will be fresh in thy bosom still,
When all without may be dark and chill.
Another will seek to be crowned by thee
Lord of thy heart and thy destiny!
Thou may’st bestow, in thy riper years,
Laurels to water with daily tears.
Then will memory love to come
Through mist and shade, to thine early home,
Within the halo that brightly beams
Around the scene of thine infant dreams.
Again thou wilt playfully sit, and look
On the artless sketch of thy brother’s book,
And own no moment of earthly bliss
So pure, so holy, and sweet as this!
Children, Time is a fleeting day,
The brighter its scenes, the sooner away!
Look to the mansion, and seek the crown
That shall not decay when the sun goes down!

13. Youth

       by Edgar A. Guest

If I had youth I’d bid the world to try me;
I’d answer every challenge to my will.
Though mountains stood in silence to defy me,
I’d try to make them subject to my skill.
I’d keep my dreams and follow where they led me;
I’d glory in the hazards which abound.
I’d eat the simple fare privations fed me,
And gladly make my couch upon the ground.
If I had youth I’d ask no odds of distance,
Nor wish to tread the known and level ways.
I’d want to meet and master strong resistance,
And in a worth-while struggle spend my days.
I’d seek the task which calls for full endeavor;
I’d feel the thrill of battle in my veins.
I’d bear my burden gallantly, and never
Desert the hills to walk on common plains.
If I had youth no thought of failure lurking
Beyond to-morrow’s dawn should fright my soul.
Let failure strike—it still should find me working
With faith that I should some day reach my goal.
I’d dice with danger—aye!—and glory in it;
I’d make high stakes the purpose of my throw.
I’d risk for much, and should I fail to win it,
I would not even whimper at the blow.
If I had youth no chains of fear should bind me;
I’d brave the heights which older men must shun.
I’d leave the well-worn lanes of life behind me,
And seek to do what men have never done.
Rich prizes wait for those who do not waver;
The world needs men to battle for the truth.
It calls each hour for stronger hearts and braver.
This is the age for those who still have youth!

14. A Sailor Bold

       by Annette Wynne

Sometimes I think I’d like to roam,
A sailor bold across the sea,
But how could Mother stay at home
And be so very far from me?
For who would sing my sleepy song,
And tuck me in my sailor bed,
And say God watches all night long,
And kiss me when my prayers are said?
I wonder if the sailor lad
Is very, very lonely when
The loud wind blows; and is he sad,
And does he long for home again?
So, after all, I would not roam,
Until I’m eight to seas afar,
While I am seven I’ll stay at home
Where Mother and her kisses are.

15. Sky And Tree And Hill And All

       by Annette Wynne

Sky and tree and hill and all,
I could touch you were I tall;
But I shall not even try,
Great big tree and hill and sky;
I shall stay down here, and see
All the little things like me,
And let all the big things be,
Till I grow up wise and tall,
Sky and tree and hill and all.

Inspirational Poems about Growing Up

Welcome to the most amazing collection of poems about maturity and growing up! Whether you’re looking for a small poem or a longer one on growing up, you’ll find it all here.

1. You Were Born With Potential

       by Rumi

You were born with potential.
You were born with goodness and trust.
You were born with ideals and dreams.
You were born with greatness.
You were born with wings.
You are not meant for crawling, so don’t.
You have wings.
Learn to use them and fly.

2. The Voice

       by Shel Silverstein

There is a voice inside of you
that whispers all day long,
‘I feel that this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong.’
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
or wise man can decide
what’s right for you – just listen to
the voice that speaks inside.

3. Remember

       by Joy Harjo

Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star’s stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.

Remember the sun’s birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.

Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother’s, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.

Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.

Remember the wind. Remember her voice.
She knows the
origin of this universe.

Remember you are all people and all people
are you.

Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.

4. Looking Forward

       by Robert Louis Stevenson

When I am grown to man’s estate
I shall be very proud and great,
And tell the other girls and boys
Not to meddle with my toys.

5. Making A Man

       by Nixon Waterman

Hurry the baby as fast as you can,
Hurry him, worry him, making him a man.
Off with his baby clothes, get him in pants,
Feed him on brain foods and make him advance.
Hustle him, soon as he’s able to walk,
Into a grammar school; cram him with talk.
Fill his poor head full of figures and facts,
Keep on a-jamming them in till it cracks.
Once boys grew up at a rational rate,
Now we develop a man while you wait,
Rush him through college, compel him to grab
Of every known subject a dip or a dab.
Get him in business and after the cash,
All by the time he can grow a mustache.
Let him forget he was ever a boy,
Make gold his god and its jingle his joy.
Keep him a-hustling and clear out of breath,
Until he wins – nervous prostration and death.

6. When I Was One-And-Twenty

       by A. E. Housman

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
“Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies
But keep your fancy free.”
But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.
When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
“The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;
’Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue.”
And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, ’tis true, ’tis true.

7. A Mother’s Love

       by Line Gauthier

My child,
As you climb
Life’s journey
To the best of my ability
I will have your back
And steady your ladder
Always I will encourage you
So whenever you look back
You will see my smiling face
Supporting and proud
Cheering you on
Unwavering I will be
At the foot of your ladder

8. Foreign Lands

       by Robert Louis Stevenson

Up into the cherry tree
Who should climb but little me?
I held the trunk with both my hands
And looked abroad in foreign lands.
I saw the next door garden lie,
Adorned with flowers, before my eye,
And many pleasant places more
That I had never seen before.
I saw the dimpling river pass
And be the sky’s blue looking-glass;
The dusty roads go up and down
With people tramping in to town.
If I could find a higher tree
Farther and farther I should see,
To where the grown-up river slips
Into the sea among the ships,
To where the road on either hand
Lead onward into fairy land,
Where all the children dine at five,
And all the playthings come alive.

9. Wonder

       by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater

Water the wonder
that lives in your brain.
Water your wonder
with questions like rain.
The more that you ask
the more you will know.
And watering wonder
will help wonder grow.
Wallow in wonder
wherever you go.

10. Don’t Quit

       by Unknown

When Things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and debts are high,
And you want to Smile but have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won if he’d stuck it out,
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,
You might succeed with another blow.
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might captured the victor’s cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown,
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.

Poems about Growing Up Too Fast

We realize as adults that growing up isn’t always as wonderful as we once dreamed. Sometimes we feel that we are growing too fast. These growing up too fast poems shed light on that aspect.

1. Growing Up Too Fast

       by Anonymous

It seems for the future I am prepared,
but the thought of commitment is getting me scared.
These feelings I feel, they’re different, they’re new…
being loved and adored is the reason my confidence grew.
I feel like his love is helping me cope,
I’m worried if he leaves me I can’t stand on my own.
I’m forgetting my family, the child I used to be…
hurting them by fighting for the one I want to see.
Taking bigger steps every chance I get
is making me worry that I’ll look back with regret.
Young by age, matured in the mind…
the little girl they want back is hard to find.

2. Kid

      by Anonymous

Twelve years ago I knew nothing but fun
No place to go but fields under the sun
Twelve years ago I laughed at my mistakes
Now a single smile, I can’t even make!

Ten years ago I knew a bit ’bout pain
But there was always someone who could stop the rain
Ten years ago I could still dry my tears
Now there’s nothing I can do to ease my fears!

Three years ago I thought love was a fairytale
I didn’t know I was wrong until the day I failed
Three years ago it was easy to mend my heart
But now this pain is tearing me apart!

Wish I could go back to those years in my life
Wish I could give up this crazy fight
I know I can no longer take back the words I said
That now I’m a grown up and the kid in me is dead!

3. Secret

       by Anonymous

Not yet do the parents know
they will soon be the youngest grandparents on the block.

Walking through the store,
everyone stares, but no one says a thing.

The girl tries to conceal her secret from the world,
but this eight months will not allow her that simple pleasure.

She is alone now. Her mother is by her side,
but that is not enough; her child has no father.

Her stomach turns, nervous at the thought that someday a child will ask
why he has no daddy, why she made him leave.

She gets sick at the thought of having to explain
this confusing story of her terrible past to her child.

At school, her friends smile. They buy her cute things,
trying to still be her friend and act like they accept her problems.

But they don’t;
they never accepted her to begin with.

She could see right through their smiling faces to their souls,
so cold she shivered.

Or was it a shiver of fear?
She knows she’s too young.

Getting out of the car, another one hits.
“Breathe,” her mother tells her. “Breathe.”

It is over now, but she stays there in her mother’s arms,
rocking, being pacified by her mother as if she is a baby.

Thinking, wishing, knowing
that she’s too young.

Twelve hours later, holding a new life in her arms,
her new life, she cries.

With tears running down her face,
she thinks of nothing else but this precious life in her arms.

Not about her parents, her classmates,
the strangers at the store, or about the child’s father,

Just about the beautiful baby boy
that has now given her life whole new meaning.

Purpose.

4. Silly Girl

       by Anonymous

A silly girl
Loved a stupid boy
He was her everything
She was just his toy
He played with her emotions
Put mixed feelings in her head
For that stupid boy
A million tears that girl had shed
His friends would laugh
In his fun they would share
They knew he was a player
While she thought they were the perfect pair
Then came that horror
She was two weeks late
So she took the test
Could this possibly be fate?
She told that boy
The news she had found out
That was when she discovered
What he was all about
He showed his true colors
And crushed her pride
Left her all alone
For someone he had on the side
Born to her
Was a perfect son
This war she was fighting
The new mother had won
The prize was hers
To keep for a lifetime
A baby boy
Born to shine

5. What Happened to The Good Old Days

       by Anonymous

What happened to the good old days?
Back when my life was full of joy and happiness?
Back when my world was a beautiful place to live?
Back when people loved one another and everyone smiled?

What happened to the good old days?
Back when my life was worth living?
Back when I enjoyed school?
Back when I loved coming home to my family?

What happened to the good old days?
Back when I actually felt loved?
Back when my eyes were tear free?
Back when I had worry free days?

What happened to the good old days?
Back when I would thank God every night for my wonderful life?
Back when I believed in everyone and everything?
Back when there was no screaming?

What happened to the good old days?
Back when I loved people?
Back when I trusted those I loved?
Back when I had faith in people?

What happened to the good old days?
Back when my life was amazing?
Back when life was worth living?
Back when life was good?

What happened to the good old days?
Back when love overpowered hate?
Back when good overpowered bad?
Back when everything was better than today?

What happened to the great world God made?

6. I’m No Longer A Kid       

       by Vidajo Vanorder

You make me feel empty
You make me feel sad
You make me feel like I have lost everything I had

Now all I do is lay here and cry
I even sometimes wish I could just lay down and die

I’m sick of this life
I’m sick of these tears
I’m sick of the guilt trip you put on me for years and years

I’m going to live life as I choose
I’m no longer going to cry tears because of you
I’m not going to feel guilty for the things that you did
And I will say this I’m no longer a kid

This is a fight I’m willing to win.

7. Little Things

       by Anonymous

Little eyes, they are always watching
As I go through fields of sunflowers and clouds of crows
They see everything I do
Little eyes

Little ears, they are always listening
As I whisper words that I throw around like pebbles into a river
They hear everything I say
Little ears

Little hands, they always do what I do
As I pick up the burdens of this life and hold them tightly to my chest
They copy everything I do
Little hands

Little mouth, they always talk as I talk
As I cast my words into a sea of disregarded lies and careless feelings
They say everything I say
Little mouth

Little feet
As I walk down the highways of shadows and allies of sunshine
They follow me wherever I go
Little feet

Short Poems about Growing Up

When “childhood nostalgia” strikes, I recommend enhancing the mood with the short poems on growing up. This collection of poems will transport you back to childhood and the process of physical and mental development.

1. The Flight of Youth

       by Richard Henry Stoddard

There are gains for all our losses,
There are balms for all our pain:
But when youth, the dream, departs,
It takes something from our hearts,
And it never comes again.
We are stronger, and are better,
Under manhood’s sterner reign:
Still we feel that something sweet
Followed youth, with flying feet,
And will never come again.
Something beautiful is vanished,
And we sigh for it in vain:
We behold it everywhere,
On the earth, and in the air,
But it never comes again.

2. Roots And Wings

       by Dennis Waitley

If I had two wishes, I know what they would be
I’d wish for Roots to cling to, and Wings to set me free;
Roots of inner values, like rings within a tree
and Wings of independence to seek my destiny.
Roots to hold forever to keep me safe and strong,
To let me know you love me, when I’ve done something wrong;

To show me by example, and helps me learn to choose,
To take those actions every day to win instead of lose.
Just be there when I need you, to tell me it’s all right,
To face my fear of falling when I test my wings in flight;
Don’t make my life too easy, it’s better if I try,
And fail and get back up myself, so I can learn to fly.
If I had two wishes, and two were all I had,
And they could just be granted by my Mom and Dad;
I wouldn’t ask for money or any store-bought things.
The greatest gifts I’d ask for are simply Roots and Wings.

3. Before Sleep

       by Catherine Anderson

I was in love with anatomy
the symmetry of my body
poised for flight,
the heights it would take
over parents, lovers, a keen
riding over truth and detail.
I thought growing up would be
this rising from everything
old and earthly,
not these faltering steps out the door
every day, then back again.

4. Leaving Home

       by Janice J Andrade

Give mother a hug
Father a kiss
The time has come
We have talked about it
Many times before
But the time is now
Fake a smile

And turn away
Start alone
I must leave everything I know
Into a world
One I do not understand
Hoping to find out
Who I truly am
Letting go of their hands
I am off
Not looking back
This is my time, my journey
I have to do this my way
I walk in a girl
I will walk out a woman
Ready to face the world

5. Speck

       by Anonymous

People walk in and out,
Through me, it seems,
My presence barely sensed.
I coil around the pain,
And recoiling I make my way out,
Heaving relief into the dark.
Around me, night crawls about like a baby,
The moon, with arms outstretched,
Cradles me gently, lovingly.
And feeling a large crack in the universe
I am swallowed whole
And taken home.

Long Poems about Growing Up

Let us now go over some long poems about growing up. This genuine depiction of growing up will warm your heart, pique your interest, and make you laugh. Well, let’s see what happens!

1. Grown Up

       by Edgar Allan Guest

Last year he wanted building blocks,
And picture books and toys,
A saddle horse that gayly rocks,
And games for little boys.
But now he’s big and all that stuff
His whim no longer suits;
He tells us that he’s old enough
To ask for rubber boots.
Last year whatever Santa brought
Delighted him to own;

He never gave his wants a thought
Nor made his wishes known.
But now he says he wants a gun,
The kind that really shoots,

And I’m confronted with a son
Demanding rubber boots.
The baby that we used to know
Has somehow slipped away,

And when or where he chanced to go
Not one of us can say.
But here’s a helter-skelter lad
That to me nightly scoots

And boldly wishes that he had
A pair of rubber boots.
I’ll bet old Santa Claus will sigh
When down our flue he comes,

And seeks the babe that used to lie
And suck his tiny thumbs.

2. White Christmas

       by Anonymous

My thoughts drift back to my childhood days
Of so many years ago
All the family gathered by a roaring fire
Whilst outside glistens with sparkling snow

We had such fun making snow angels and snowmen
Our little frozen fingers and rosy faces were aglow
Memories of Christmas now firmly in the past
I look back on happy days of so long ago

Our Christmas tree was draped with tiny twinkling lights,
Bright baubles, tinsel and candy canes just for our delight
Oh how the years have flown by so fast
Sadly, like the snowflakes our childhood days don’t last

I scan the list of Christmas cards that I’ve got to write
Each year it grows shorter, with loved ones we now miss
I dream of turning back the clock and returning to the past
My memories of Christmas are ones I hope will always last

3. I Remember, I Remember

       by Philip Larkin

Coming up England by a different line
For once, early in the cold new year,
We stopped, and, watching men with number plates
Sprint down the platform to familiar gates,
“Why, Coventry!” I exclaimed. “I was born here.”
I leant far out, and squinnied for a sign
That this was still the town that had been ‘mine’
So long, but found I wasn’t even clear
Which side was which. From where those cycle-crates
Were standing, had we annually departed
For all those family hols? . . . A whistle went:
Things moved. I sat back, staring at my boots.
‘Was that,’ my friend smiled, ‘where you “have your roots”?’
No, only where my childhood was unspent,
I wanted to retort, just where I started:
By now I’ve got the whole place clearly charted.
Our garden, first: where I did not invent
Blinding theologies of flowers and fruits,
And wasn’t spoken to by an old hat.
And here we have that splendid family
I never ran to when I got depressed,
The boys all biceps and the girls all chest,
Their comic Ford, their farm where I could be
‘Really myself’. I’ll show you, come to that,
The bracken where I never trembling sat,
Determined to go through with it; where she
Lay back, and ‘all became a burning mist’.
And, in those offices, my doggerel
Was not set up in blunt ten-point, nor read
By a distinguished cousin of the mayor,
Who didn’t call and tell my father There
Before us, had we the gift to see ahead –
‘You look as though you wished the place in Hell,’

My friend said, ‘judging from your face.’ ‘Oh well,
I suppose it’s not the place’s fault,’ I said.
‘Nothing, like something, happens anywhere.’

4. Things Change

       by Anonymous

“I see at last that all the knowledge
I wrung from darkness — that the darkness flung me —
is worthless as ignorance:  nothing comes from nothing,
The darkness from the darkness.  Pain comes from the darkness.
And we call it wisdom.  It is pain.”

The first bike I ever owned —
when I was ten or eleven —
was a Christmas gift
from a friend.  He was receiving a new one
and I was gifted with his old bike.
He had cleaned it up and brush painted it
with a nice coat of red paint.
It was the only gift I got that year,
one of my only gifts as a child.
I loved that bike:
it freed me to pedal around so
I could accompany my friend
as we rode anywhere in our tiny,
sandy, two-paved-road fishing town.
Before the bike, I ran alongside him.
I was quite accustomed to running everywhere,
especially in summer, barefoot, usually shirtless.   
Most years from first grade
until we were about twelve,
we spent our time together,
at his house or in imaginary jungles
or on wild, indian-infested wagon train trails.
We defended those trails from apaches
intent on taking our scalps.
Sometimes, on pirate ships, we manned canons
or forced reluctant traitors and mutineers
to walk the plank for failures and misdeeds.
We were never bored, usually outdoors.
On jungle safaris we were frequently attacked
by ferocious lions and tigers and
often captured by cannibal head-hunters
who put us into large pots to cook us
while dancing all around and brandishing
their spears.  They sang or chanted
amazing, invented language repetitive
verses overloaded with frequent “ughs’
and tongue-twisting nonsense phrases.
His mother served us gallons of Kool Aid,
gave us snacks we ate with relish.
With a child’s trusting nature,
I hoped this could never end –  
I felt secure in friendship and
apparent acceptance by
my friend’s parents. Of course,
things did change.

But……….I did not.
Not for a long, long time.

5. Treasure Me

       by Anonymous

Sand sweeps over, as the sweet salty air
tickles every part of my being,
tracing curves

Temptation can be overwhelming,
for someone like you

Seek and you shall find
beyond the surface

Even a grown man likes to get dirty,
play lost and found

It’s like

Maturity takes a rest from reality,
and you become as a child

Trust me when I say
“I want to connect the dots with you too”

A game perhaps,
but I am willing to seize the moment

However

I wonder how long the wait will be – –
even someone like me,
needs setting free

Seek and you shall find,
unravel the mystery

Of course

I like knowing you could hold me,
like a whisper
gentle as the wind,
never letting go

Still, I wait for you
because X marks the spot,
and a man will not ask for directions

The sweet salty air
moves over my tender form

How long will it be,
until you find

and,

Treasure Me

6. Will You Tie My Shoes When I Grow Old

       by Anonymous

You were beautiful,
my tiny child,
wrapped tightly in my arms,
close to my heart.
I listened to you breathing.
I counted your fingers
and your toes.
Helpless,
you cried out to me
and I loved you
with every ounce of my soul.

Will you hear me
when I cry out?
Will you hold me close
as I held you then?

I remember the day
You took your first step.
There was no stopping you.
Your feet gave you freedom
to explore the world
like never before
but danger lurked.
I opened those doors anyway,
cautiously,
and introduced
you to the world.
Where will you be
when my legs
no longer run?
no longer work?
Will you realize
that I love
freedom too?

I laugh
about that day
you first tied your shoe.
We tried and tried
to get that rabbit
in that hole
and you finally did it.
You pointed your toes
for everyone to see
how proud you were.

I am proud too,
of my writing
and my drawing,
of my needlework
and my cooking.
But my hands are beginning to ache
and my fingers will not bend.
I will lose the things
that make me proud
except for you.
Hopefully not you.
Will you let me
brag on you?
Even tell wild stories
that are a bit beyond the truth?
Will you be proud of me too?

I waved good-bye
that morning when you left
on that large, yellow bus.
I was so scared.
I know you were too.
You waved at me bravely
through the dusty window
but I saw the water
forming in your eyes.
You came home, however,
full of pride and joy.
You sang the alphabet song
and got most of it right.
You practiced for hours
until you could sing it
even in your sleep.

But
I’m afraid.
I forgot
whether I took
my pills today or not.
I forgot
if I told this story before.
I even forgot once
who you were
and it terrified me.
My mind
is my treasure
the only thing I have left,
and I heard you make
fun of me
for not remembering
that I gave you the
same gift as last year.
Will you love me
when I no longer
know who I am?

You came home blushing
from the glow of
your first kiss.
Your first love,
the one you thought was real.
You talked about him non-stop.
You changed for him. You gave.
But he left you anyway
for a blue-eyed girl
and I held you
while you cried for him.

I too have a
broken heart.
The love of my life
left me after
fifty-six years.
He left me here
to live life on my own
while he moved on
to another realm
And I cry for him too.
I long for his shoulder
and strong embrace.
I feel betrayed
because he and I
made a deal
that we would never
leave the other alone.
Yet I am alone
sitting in an echoing house
with no hands to hold.

You welcomed her home today-
your tiny baby girl.
She has your eyes
and possibly your toes.
I see you counting them
as they roll me
into the room.
You finally came
to visit.
It has been a while.

You look up at me
with tears in your eyes
and ask
almost desperately,

“Will she tie my
shoes
when I get old? “

7. Forgotten Treasure- The Rebirth

       by Anonymous

I found the fountain of youth
When I stumbled across the forbidden garden
Right smack in the middle,
Was what I thought to be a wishing well
I tossed in a quarter!
Looking down with a puzzled face
I peeked to see where it fell
I leaned over and that’s when I saw my vanity
It was always there waiting for me
The reflection in the water was my face
In wonder, I asked what this vision could be?
With one drop on my taste buds
I knew I found the one true key
The most beautiful thing that can set one free
I reached in to touch the poetry inside me

8. To Take Each Day As It Comes

       by Anonymous

To take each day as it comes
To gratefully praise The One
Joyfully face the new dawn’s grace,
That’s now my everyday plan.

To take each day as it comes
To guard my thought as it roams
On anything or anyone
That’s now my everyday plan.

To take each day as it comes
To be careful with my words
To use the value of my hands
That’s now my everyday plan.

To take each day as it comes
To do everything I can
And bring a smile to not just one
That’s now my everyday plan.

To take each day as it comes
To celebrate other’s gain
Not consciously cause another’s pain
That’s now my everyday plan.

To take each day as it comes
Not all the time comes the sun
For sorrow comes to everyone
And that I must understand.

To take each day as it comes
And know that I’m but a man
I will be glad, life’s not that bad
And do my part in God’s plan.

9. Grandma Waits In The Garden

       by Anonymous

Hi grandpa, it’s me again!
Your dentures sit in an open glass above the nightstand
Remember the tears grandma sang before she pass?
The way she looked into your eyes,
Moments before she said goodbye
Grandpa, I found a note from grandma,
She will always wait for you.

Hi grandpa, it’s me again!
The rocking chair is old and dusty
Remember the way grandma sat me on her lap?
Read many stories before I took a nap
How she enjoyed stroking my hair with her hands
I miss the way she rocked me to sleep every night

Hello, grandpa!
I stored your hearing aid away
Remember that special musical box in grandma’s drawer?
I opened it last night, to watch the ballerina soar
I wish you could hear the tiny chimes grandma loved
I hope you don’t mind, I’m keeping grandma’s favorite scarf

Hello, Grandpa!
I’m caressing grandma’s picture frame
Remember the way she looked in the yellow pretty sundress?
Grandpa, I miss the things grandmother did for you
Like the walking cane she handcrafted before she left

Hello, grandpa, it’s me again!
My tears have soften now,
knowing you will soon see her again
Take your place with her in the sky
Please, say hi and give her a kiss
Tell her I miss her so much
I love you grandpa

10. With Divining Heart I Could Have Foreseen

       by Anonymous

With true divining heart I could have seen
little ripples of thy deep discontent.
My heart a meadow, once lush and bright green
now aching from lost days so sadly spent.

If thy heart sought the truth instead of lies
thee would have held, fast and firm loving vows.
These tears would not splash down from dark skies
as I seek anew, fertile fields to plow.

Blame I, ignorance of deception’s wiles
trusting in our dear love and happy bliss.
Pray I, for miracle that reconciles
this distance, preventing thy soft-lips kiss.

With divining heart I could have foreseen
how thy lost heart would fail us, sweet Colleen.

11. Little Wishes

       by Anonymous

Little wishes on great big stars.
Daughter, I make a wishes for you.
Keep on growing and keep on smiling.
And I’ll keep loving all that you do.

Little dreamers wishing big things.
The world is your stage to display.
You can sing and you can dance.
Enjoy all that comes your way.

Little hopes in a great big world.
Nothing can stop your free spirit.
Make some noise, play a beat.
It’s beautiful music when I hear it.

Little kisses from my now big girl,
You’re growing up so fast it seems.
Pretty soon you’ll leave the nest
And fly after all of your dreams.

Little girl I love you,
And I love you even more.
Because I made a wish once,
And you’re what I wished for.

12. You’re Worthy of Love

       by Anonymous

I see the scars, you’re hiding deep within
they’re not visible, upon your skin
you don’t even know, how you could begin
to feel worthy of love…

You’ve been floating away, in time and space
your pain is written, all over your face
your dignity left you, without a trace
and you don’t feel worthy of love

Bridge 1
I’ve seen so many people, just like you
they never seem to make a fuss
the only colors you know, are black and blue
and now it’s hard for you to trust

The only friends you had, have long since died
you couldn’t save them all, even if you tried
now you bottle up all, your feelings inside
you don’t feel worthy of love

Bridge 2
I know to you living, is not worthwhile
but I can prove that you’re wrong
I know it hurts to even try to smile
cause you forgot where you belong

Some may say, that you’re a little high strung
you’ve shed too many tears, for someone so young
don’t you know that you’re life has just begun
and that you’re worthy of love…

oh yes you’re worthy of love
you are so worthy of love

You’ve forgotten that, you too have worth
you’re the only you, on this planet earth
just ask the loving ones, who caused your birth
they’ll say…you’re worthy of love
indeed you’re worthy of love

welcome home my dear!
you are so worthy of love!

13. The Secret

       by Anonymous

Somewhere someplace not far away a couple lied together.
No talk about the future no talk about forever.
They had lovers of their own their lovers were not there.
It’s best if kept a secret the love that they would share.

Lost in loves great passion covered in each others sweat.
They’re going to have a baby but they don’t know it yet.
In nine months the baby born a secret softly cries.
So much still for him to learn of life conceived in lies.

Often he just played alone it seemed it was his way.
Then one day the secret was sent outside to play.
He grew strong like others did he gave it all his best.
Without one clue he never knew the truth beat in his chest.

Overwhelmed again and again the sadness he can’t shake.
The devil whispered in his ear “You are a mistake”.
Still he tried through tears he cried to somehow rise above.
Getting lost time and again in his search for love.

When the walls came crashing down his whole world fell apart.
Welcome to the world of secrets and to your broken heart.
Shattered like a piece of glass his dreams fell to the ground.
Somewhere up near heaven even angels heard the sound.

Tears poured from his heart and soul through both day and night.
Searching for some healing in words that he would write.
Broken in so many ways all he meant for good.
Forever somehow secret where some misunderstood.

Now he walks in shadows seeking shelter from the rain.
Don’t you dare look in his eyes you’ll get lost inside his pain.
Like the secret long ago he spends his time alone.
It seems being by himself is now his comfort zone.

Asking nothing from no one wanting only just to give.
The only dream he still dreams is live and just let live.
A million miles on his heart and tears that he still cries.
So it is for secrets and those conceived in lies.

Teenage Poems about Growing Up

Here are some poems about adolescence growing up. These teenage poems reveal their beautiful troubles as they grow up and mature.

1. In The Blink of An Eye

       by Jennifer Betts

In the blink of an eye, my world started to change.
I went from walking to running to climbing and playing.
In the blink of an eye, I made friends.
I was scared to leave but their warm eyes welcomed me on my first day.
In the blink of an eye, I found my first love.
With their good looks, I was lost in a moment.
In the blink of an eye, I was growing up.
Rather than classes and homework, I had to consider colleges and futures.
In the blink of an eye, my world has changed.

2. Little Girls Have to Grow Up

       by Brianna E. Cornman

There once was a little girl.
She was sweet, and in dresses she liked to twirl.
Everywhere she went,
She left her footprint.
Her smile was almost contagious,
And the amount of love she received was outrageous.
But the little girl then grew up.
And her tea wasn’t as easily in her cup.
She didn’t have the greatest luck,
And truly it’s because people suck.
As a teenager, she lost friends.
Mostly because high school comes with ends.
But people called her names,
And boys played with her heart like a string of games.
But don’t let this information fool you.

She could still be herself if she wanted to.
Some days she could try on her dresses like when she was a little girl,
And she could stand in front of her mirror to watch herself twirl.
Even though she had gotten older,
And thought that years going by had destroyed her,
She was wrong; she could still be sweet.
She still left a footprint with each of her feet.
She could still make herself crack that contagious smile.
And her being on this Earth was worthwhile.
But because of the names
And the games,
She didn’t see that.
She just thought she was being walked on more than a dirty door mat.
She was lost, and people didn’t seem to see
That words hurt, and that little girl was me.

3. My Future

       by Emily

They want me to be prepared
For the future that is near,
But the truth is I am scared
Because mine is unclear.
Now, I lay here in my bed,
My worries slowly eating me.
So many questions in my head
About how my future will be.
Will my dreams come true?
Will I find a house to call my own?
Will I find someone to turn to,
Or will I be forever alone?
These questions I ponder,
And so many more.

Yet, still, my heart grows fonder
To the mystery my future has in store.

4. See Me Grow Up

       by Katilyn

See me cry
See the truth behind the lies
See me smile, see me laugh
See the flashbacks of my past
See my bad habits come to an end
See me leave footprints in the snow
See me wave hello and goodbye
I’m amazed to see everything new
Time flew by and left a mark
See me dance in the rain
See me ignore all types of pain
See me grow up and take on the world
See me now, I’m not a little girl
See me graduate high school
See me graduate college
See me wear my heart on my sleeve
See the people leave my side
See the people stay by me
See me start to make my dreams come true
See me speak what’s on my mind
See me help people, see me forget
See the next me.
I bet you thought I wouldn’t write anything like this.
See me prove you wrong.
I thought you might be surprised; you don’t know me then.
See me see you be shocked.

Sad Poems about Growing Up

Growing up is difficult. The difficulties that a youngster faces throughout his or her life are tremendous. As they develop, children must contend with physical, emotional, and psychological changes. These sad poems reflect that.

1. My Splattered Balloon

       by Anonymous

Happy?
I thought that’s what I was for so long,
Enough to say it every time someone would ask.
But the sound of my voice would always falter as I would repeat the same sentence over and over,
Thinking to myself…
Am I telling the truth?
The truth?
Is that what that was?
Or was it just a shadow overcasting what really lied beneath the surface.

A young child crying out from within trapped inside a whirlwind of trauma, thinking you were a light in the dark buried coffin that was my life.
Hoping you would lead me to something greater, something different.

But something different is never really different, now, is it?
This different was just, you know, behind a wall.
A wall I had to break down that took a while.,
When finally, all I could see on the other side was him smiling back at me.
The smile that I will grow to learn is nothing but true, Not by a long shot.
In reality that smile was telling me all the truth I could ever know but I was blinded by the mere freedom I gained from the dungeon I graced with my presence for so long.

This newfound freedom came with a price as I was always taught nothing in life comes free and strings will always come shortly after.
This freedom came with a sense of familiarity, that sense that you’re told from a young age means your soulmate, but nobody ever explained the feeling when coming from a toxic abusive childhood, that the comfort is a glimpse of the shackles I was had escaped from.
That familiar sense was just the same as my “Father”,
That comfort I knew that I’ve grown accustomed too.
That comfort that I should have run from but instead i dove right in like a child in Willy Wonka’s.

All I could hope and wish for is “This could be different”,
Generational curses can be broken, can’t they? Can they?
Do they ever really get broken, if one party of the two pushes for resolution
Resolution seeking help, guidance alone or as a pair
Help?

That in which both can benefit for the sake of our own sanity to rid ourselves of the burdens ours before us have bestowed upon us, to ruin us.
But can we move past when the one party of two executed mistakes that they want to move past but how when those very past moves that were moved haunt my very thoughts by day and materialize in my nightmares at night.
Without prevail the balloon in which my mind is, refills everyday with more and more thoughts of the rue that shall be my day and thus you holding the needles to burst me,
Like the redundant merry-go-round that is my life.
POP!

2. Four Cafes

       by Anonymous

I was off for my vacation.
After a long flight and drive,
I reached my cozy apartment.
Stars like diamonds filled the cold January night.
Exhausted I sank into my soft bed and fall fast asleep.
A red roaster was my alarm clock.
From my apartment window,
three flight’s up,
I looked down to the right.
Grape vines stood as guards running up the mountainside.
To the left,
in the bright sunlight was a cute town with four cafe signs.
The day turned into night and dinner time.
The “Wine Café” was my first stop.
Free wine with my wonderful home-cooked meal.
My second stop was “Pierre’s Café.”
The music and dancers were lively as they taught me how to dance.
Walking to the third cafe,
I wondered why I had picked this cold month for my trip.
The “Little Café” was filled with laughter.
“Special,” two drinks for the price of one.
Hooray, I said.
It was getting late but I must try the fourth cafe,
the “Father and Sons Cafe.”
A roaring fireplace with stories being told.
My diary ended with, a trip of a lifetime.  

3. Red Bird

       by Anonymous

spring is coming soon
our family is growing ~
a nest is needed
new little ones chirp ~
red bird sees her new babies
family of six

Poems about Growing Up And Childhood

These poems will remind you of happy childhood memories. If you’re an adult with a child’s heart, these poems about children growing up will strike a chord with you.

1. The Childhood Song

       by Kellie Carra

Leaves dusted with white
Moon reflects through the night
Off the blanketed ground of sheer winter
Footsteps echo off trees
Snow is up to the knees
Run through woods fast like a sprinter
Bristling wind breaks the silence
Shattering glass in a riot
Trees make shadows around your own
Shivers crawl up the spine
Fear and cold intertwined
But refusal to go back home
The tree stump in sight
You collapse in the night
Relief, relief, relief
For it’s been far too long
Away from the song
You once knew as a daily greeting
You settle and sigh
Small tears in your eyes
As you wait for the beautiful sound
But no noise to be made
Childhood has faded
The music has just died out
The creek doesn’t hum
The bird whistles numb

And home this no longer feels
I’m afraid you’ve grown up
Childhood gone corrupt
Your past has all but sealed

2. Daisy Bear

       by Kerry Love

You were always there to protect me
through the dark and cold of night.
I would hold you close beside me
and squeeze you in so close, so tight.
We would pretend we were in another place,
so free and full of fun,
where no one could ever hurt us
and life had just begun.
I would tell you all my secrets
about the happenings of the day,
I would often whisper in your ear,
“Please take this pain away.”
Although you couldn’t stop the life
or path that I was led,
I would sit with you for hours,
just alone on my bed.
And each time that we heard
a footstep made or maybe two,
a door slide open
I would just reach out for you.
You would take me to that place
so free and full of fun,
and the pain wouldn’t hurt,
and again it was done.
So now that I am older

And the fears have faded too.
I can look around my life,
and it doesn’t seem so true.
You’re still here to protect me
with an eye missing or two.
My favorite little bear,
we made it because of you.

3. Amazing To See

       by Catherine Pulsifer

It is amazing to see
How big they can be
Yesterday so small
Today so tall.
Children grow up so fast
Babies they don’t last
The years fly by
It can make you sigh.
But watching them grow
Is like watching a show
The ups and downs
The tears and the clowns.
But no matter what the age
And no matter what the stage
Our love for our child always grows
They will always be our baby, you know!

4. The Box

        by Rick Hunter

As I look back to when I was but a boy,
I’d have to say a cardboard box was my favorite toy.
There were no action figures in this day,
and computer games were still many years away.
The box was my pirate ship leading me to my stash of gold and doubloons.

It also served as my rocket ship, flying me to the moon.
It was my speedy race car, and I was Richard Petty.
On other days, I was Mario Andretti.
It was my castle where I was the king.
I was also a professional wrestler, fighting in the ring.
The box also served as a fort.
From there, I would fight off enemy ships that were coming into port.
It was a boxcar, and I was a tramp.
It was a tent, a place for me to camp.
That box was my best friend as it would take me to many different places.
From flying in the cosmos to distant lands filled with alien races.
A simple cardboard box, but still my favorite toy.
It was made of wood, pulp, and glue, but it brought me hours of endless joy.

5. Can I Carry You?

       by Brad Anderson

Dad’s Wish To Savor Childhood
I guess that I can hold you
one more time before you grow
and tell you that I love you
so that you will always know.

Please let me tie your shoe again.
One day you’ll tie your own.
And when you think back to this time,
I hope it’s love I’ve shown.

Can I help you put your coat on?
Can I please cut up your meat?
Can I pull you in the wagon?
Can I pick you out a treat?

One day you might just care for me,
so let me care for you.
I want to be a part
of every little thing you do.

Tonight could I please wash your hair?
Can I put toys in the bath?
Can I help you count your small ten toes
before I teach you math?

Before you join a baseball team
can I pitch you one more ball?
And one more time can I stand near
to make sure you don’t fall?

Let’s take another space-ship ride
Up to the Planet Zoor.
Before our Cardboard Rocket
doesn’t fit us anymore.

Please let me help you up the hill
while you’re still too small to climb.
And let me read you stories
while you’re young and have the time.

I know the day will come
when you will do these things alone.
Will you recall the shoulder rides
and all the balls we’ve thrown?

I want you to grow stronger
than your Dad could ever be.
And when you find success,
there will be no soul more proud than me.

So will you let me carry you?
One day you’ll walk alone.
I cannot bear to miss one day
from now until you’ve grown.

6. Every Mom’s Test

       by Nandita Shailesh Shanbhag

You are special; you mean the world to me.
You are my daughter, a reflection of my entity.

Every year, as I watch you grow by my side,
No matter what you do, you are my source of pride.

The umbilical cord may have been cut, but you should know
You are still bound to my soul, wherever you go.

Sometimes I am firm and you may think I am wrong.
Remember it is easy to give in but tough to be strong.

Sometimes I am strict and you may think it is unfair,
But I correct you only because I love and care.

I harden my heart and nag, scold and fight
To teach you the difference between the wrong and the right.

For soon, the days will pass swiftly all in a whirl,
And into a woman will grow my baby girl.

Tomorrow when you need inner strength above all,
I hope my values will give you the courage to stand tall.

I hope that in my teaching you will find tips few
Soon when you strive to make your dreams come true.

At a later date, when the real world you have to face,
Today’s lessons will help you go ahead in the race.

Some day in the future when a mother you will be,
From my point of view, the world you will see.

For your baby then you will do what is best
To blend discipline with kindness is every mom’s test.

7. As I Watch You Grow

       by Kay Theese

Do you know how much you mean to me?
As you grow into what you will be.
You came from within, from just beneath my heart.
It’s there you’ll always be, though your own life will now start.
You’re growing so fast it sends me awhirl,
With misty eyes I ask, where’s my little girl?
I know sometimes to you I seem harsh and so unfair,
But one day you will see, I taught you well because I care.
The next few years will so quickly fly,
With laughter and joy, mixed with a few tears to cry.
As you begin your growth to womanhood, this fact you must know,
You’ll always be my source of pride, no matter where you go.
You must stand up tall and proud, within you feel no fear,
For all your dreams and goals sit before you very near.
With God’s love in your heart and the world by its tail,
You’ll always be my winner, and victory will prevail.
For you this poem was written, with help from above,
To tell you in a rhythm of your Mother’s heartfelt love!

8. All Because Of You

       by Dana

My life is changing.
The life that I’ve had,
It’s changing forever,
But no need to be sad.

It’s time to move on,
Time to start anew.
I jumped from the nest.
With some trouble, I flew.

I might hit a few bumps,
Maybe made a wrong turn,
But all of those troubles
Are lessons I’ll learn.

So as my life changes,
I hope that you’ll see
It’s you who I’ll credit
For the life that I lead.

9. A New Beginning

       by Troy Martin, Jr.

A little egg under her mother’s wings.
Yet to be born into the world of things.

A crack and a pop, out she came.
Old and new, it was all the same.

Well nourished by mom, she began to sing.
Ready to learn of life and everything.

Innocence of new, she started up her flaps.
Not knowing of life and all its traps.

Mother watched on, with a big chuckle.
As she sprang out of the nest with no buckle.

Back and forth, she swayed on the ground.
As her mother watched for danger all around.

She tried and tried until that day.
Fly she did, but not in a graceful way.

The day came, like mother knew it would.
For her child to fly away, like she should.

Off towards the horizon, fling she went.
Mother watching from afar, knowing it was time well spent.

Many times, the hailstorms of life beat her down.
Sometimes in flight, all the way to the ground.

Lessons well learned, she still lost her way.
Fluttered home to mom, with nothing to say.

Under mother’s wings once more, did she heal.
The grace of mothers, no one can steal.

By grace did she heal, down to the core.
Ready to take on life and its challenges once more.

She flew from the tree, mom proud to see.
She became the strongest sparrow that ever would be.

The eagles bowed down, had nothing on her, by the way.
She flew, glided, and boy, did she soar that day.

10. My Teenager Daughter

       by Vinny Vintila

My bond grows stronger each passing year,
My love will never disappear.
From the moment you were born,
My heart is filled with joy, and you I adore.

You are grown up now, a young lady fair,
Determined and beautiful, with pretty long hair.
Your smile lights up a room, your laugh, so bright.
You are a shining star, shining through the night.

As you venture out into the world,
My love will be there, forever – like gold.
You are my little girl, always will be,
And my love for you will always be free.

My love for you will never fade.
It will always be there, through the good and the bad.
Forever and always, until the end of time,
Our bond will remain, our love will shine.

Poems about Growing Up And Maturity

Even though you think you’re all grown up, you’re still growing up. I know it sounds perplexing, but we as humans develop at our own unique speed throughout our lives. Here are some poems about growing up and maturity.

1. Seeking Adulthood

       by Maysie Stott Morrison

I’m getting older now,
No longer a child,
Not yet an adult,
But a girl trying to carve a path for herself

I’m learning to make my own choices,
Molding a future with my bare hands,
Learning how to step out,
Despite the shaky ground.

I no longer need to be held tight in your embrace
But crave an independence,
One that lets me explore my hunger for this world,
A world full of hidden meanings.

But sometimes I fall,
As I struggle to take in the world before me,
Overwhelmed by the bigger picture
The adulthood that lies ahead.

And it must be hard for you to accept
That I’m building a life for myself,
Making mistakes that you cannot cure,
Choices you never dreamed I’d make.

2. Maturity

       by Anonymous

As I sit by the window and look out towards the sun,
A half of me says stay, while the other half says run.

I know it’s part of life, to grow older with each day,
but the older that I get, the more I want to run away.

All the stress and hard decisions that I’m left to ponder,
only makes me crazier, as now I’m left to wander.

Like a never ending clock, the days and nights will pass,
so I’ll hold on to my memories, for only they will last.

And I can use them anytime, to make me laugh or smile,
or just to sort of drift away, and daydream for a while.

Although life seems so hard, I thank the Lord each night,
for blessing me with all the things He’s put here in my life.

So as I grow in my time of youth, I tell myself one thing,
Never regret ,or you’ll lose out, on the  things that life may bring.

3. A Gift from God – A Sonnet

       by Rick Praise

I am a wish, a prayer, from mortals lips
That reached heaven and  touched God’s fingertips
And returned to earth wrapped in flesh and blood
A gift from God’s unconditional love

So love and cherish me as God does you
And guide and teach me well in all I do
And together, a garden we will grow
Filled with the fragrant beauty of the rose

And on the day I reach maturity
And feel the need like leaves to leave the tree
To show the world the colors that are  me
Rejoice in all the beauty that you see

For I am your  child the gift that God gave
No More than a wish and a prayer –  away.

4. That Period of Life

       by Anonymous

Orange is more appreciated by the tongue that tastes lime
to do so, if not now, when would be the time?

Senses and instincts are the same to all gender
deaf ears are given to morality sender.

So much energy seizes from the heart its license
exhibiting any act irrespective of sense.

The road to harm and danger is direct
to such travels, curiosity stands erect.

Every bad move has an allocated score
a rotten seed spreads its allergic spore.

Hate the rules, damn the instructions
utilizing body parts to their full functions.

Following the media and not wanting to be left behind
slippery rocks and rusting metals placed around the mind.

In the room of so much entertainment, bodies lay
hoping the pleasure will be long and will stay.

Drugs, sex, alcohol and violence all giving this shade
time passes, leaving the young heart the need of an aid.

Habits learned and adopted to make or to go astray
when maturity sinks in, the wise simply walks away

5. On The Horizon

       by Anonymous

On the Horizon

My limbs and leaves are trembling
My green days of shade and blue shadow near gone,
For on the near horizon lies
The first cold flail of fall.

To compensate, my Maker made
My edges to wondrously curl and color
Dipping and spiraling as butterflies,
‘Ere I am browned and blown
To the ground.

I remember when I raised my head
After dark winter’s bitter gales,
Stretching my arms and blossoming,
And being caressed in warm sun, adored.

From that gracious beginning adulation,
Rich maturity and pride were mine,
My limbs grew long and reached strong,
Higher and higher to the sky.

From days fast passing, I must then bid farewell
Grandly with gold, blazing red and orange
To let winter have its hibernate way
As I Leave this short life behind

And pray for one more.

6. As Time Goes By

       by Anonymous

Born in cloak of modesty, life toddles, yet thrives
Musing of blissful eternity in domain of paradise
Befriending and beholding its virtuous design
Facing triumphs and failures of quests worthwhile

From first breath to last it’s a long thrilling ride
As love and desires rule trappings of eager minds
And will to acquire wealth demands equal time
While allure of fame ignites latent spark inside

As maturity gains wisdom it begins to ask why
Things that were treasured once, now fail to satisfy
And glitter that charmed then, now burdens eyes
When meaning of life changes as time goes by

And memories then bemoan venues forgone:
Failing to sail the oceans when tides were calm,
Forsaking kiss of love when nights twinkled stars,
Ignoring golden aura when fervid was the dawn

Precious become moments waning to end the game
When tallies are made of words said and unsaid–
Some seek reconciliation, some still burn the flame,
Some that meant so much, no longer mean the same

7. A Cathedral Lit By Sunset

       by Anonymous

O,
how I swoon
in the ruby bliss of your sunset kiss –
your vibrant rays of maturity arouses my fire;
touching me with urgent rapture,
saturating me in the sparkle of champagne light – then,
streaming through me in bold shafts of gold.

We embrace
in the broadening bloom of lantana skies –
our burning blend;
your western blaze and my prismatic panes
telling stories of love and pain,
bestowing rainbow-shadows
into the depths of dark serenity –
our fervor cast like water-colored sprites
in far-flung illuminations
across dusky medieval arches,
enlightening dim granite walls
and gracing graceful curves and conscientious columns
in jewel-shades
waltzing with your solar pulse.

Our vivacious union
reflects our Renaissance romance
in mirrored mirages
dyeing the staid floor in painted riches
– that richly rejoice –
in plashes of splashy orgies
of light and silhouettes – of warm and cool tones,
pregnant with passions of the heart
and imbued with torments and ecstasies of the soul –
cleaving humanity and divinity
in the flaring flair of emerald, sapphire, citrine and garnet
amid our spellbinding moments
of tantric twilight magic.

Our synergy electrifies
the nightfalling quietude of this sacred space
before our enchanted euphoria
begins to wane..
and as your dying flame
gives way to the rise of the shy crescent moon
I lose my orgasmic zest
to the evening’s ebony hue.

8. Golden Days

       by Olivia

Those were the days…

When I used to get up late,
Never cared about the day and date.
All I ever did was play
With building blocks and molding clay.
Now I keep stumbling to find a way
To bring back my childhood days.

Used to write the alphabet
With white chalks on a slate,
Waved a silly goodbye every day
To the dog roaming in front of my gate.
Now I keep stumbling to find a way
To bring back my childhood days.

Near the corner of the park, at the end,
We fought tiny wars with our friends,
Were so carefree, never had to pretend,
Had all the food in lunches our mothers would send.
Now I keep stumbling to find a way
To bring back my childhood days.

Though it’s impossible, I’d like to try
To press a button and go back in time.
Far from the business of loss and gain,
Away from the feelings of grief and pain,
To be that naughty girl once again,
To live that good life once again.

9. Nostalgia

       by Meghan L Wong

Together we wrote our stories.
Together we sang our songs.
But now it’s all gone.

Stashed away like photographs
inside my mind
in a place I have labeled “memories.”
And sometimes,
when I flip through those pages,
thinking tenderly of the past,
remembering who we used to be-
sitting in class
having long conversations,
exchanging lyrics and words,
or just laughing ’til we couldn’t breathe-
it fills me with a bitter-sweet ache,
and I just want to be little again.

Sometimes, random memories-
a reminiscent word said here,
a familiar melody heard there,
a burst of giggles and laughter-
catch me off-guard
and nostalgia floods my senses.

The desire to relive them,
to create once again
the everlasting from fleeting moments,
to feel the love that remains.
It grips me,
taking hold of my entire being.
My heart is throbbing again
with that sweet ache,
longing for what once was.
And that’s when I realize,
it is but the wistful desire
of a child that never grew up
and learned just how to be.

So I had to settle for passing through the moments
like walking through doors,
only allowing my heart to flutter,
to flicker again with the bliss
I had once experienced.
It is a reminder
of a happiness I once owned,
of the love that remains,
of the things I no longer have…
and knowing that it will never come again
is what makes it so sweet.

A strange feeling fills my chest
as I leave this place.
As if I am not only going to miss
the people I love,
but also
the person I was at that time and place,
because I will never be that way again.
And I cling to it,
to that memory,
to that person I want to remain,
afraid to let it fade
to let it become a ghost,
a shadow.
Everything that I have loved
has become
everything I lost.

Wasn’t it beautiful
when we believed in everything?

10. Pledge of Love And Loyalty

       by Anonymous

This pledge that l,Ntando, make today serves
as my guideline that I shall follow
happily, ungrudgingly and tirelessly
for the sake of our love life.
Indeed l am well aware of the fact that
the beauty of this pledge does not only lie
in word alone but in action as well.

For that reason in every season
I shall show steadfast commitment
to the implementation of this pledge
with a great deal of astuteness.
I therefore commit myself to be your
devoted and delivering husband for
all the years l shall live with you
on this earth.

I shall treat you with the love and care
you deserve as my wife.
Indeed l shall treat you with
the distinction and dignity
that is befitting of the queen of my heart.
That body, that bone, that breath
shall be my mine to treasure,
for sure;
a dearness to promote and protect
for dear life…and love!
I shall stand by and with you in all the
situations of our life.
If the situation demands that we sail,
sail we shall together.
If the situation demands that we
climb,
climb we shall together.

I know very well what l am getting into:
I am getting into a marriage that is
overflowing with blessings.
This marriage- with our mutual
commitment-
will stand the test of time.
I know very well what I am getting into:
I am getting into a relationship that
brims over with a transforming power
of love.

This marriage-with our
mutual commitment –
will transform naivety into maturity
troubles into challenges
pretence into practice
pride into progress
bachelorship into companionship.
I pledge to be your steward and partner
for all times.

I shall value the consultations
and decisions that we make as
husband and wife.
As head of the family I shall do nothing

to derail our love train for anything else
least of all for personal and selfish reasons.
Now and forever

I am your lawful and loving husband…
This pledge that l, Nothando, make today serves
as my guideline that I shall follow
happily, ungrudgingly and tirelessly
for the sake of our love life.
Indeed I am well aware of the fact that
the beauty of this pledge does not only
lie in pronouncements but in practice
as well.

For this reason every season
I shall demonstrate untiring love
and loyalty to you;
a love and a loyalty that is a living
embodiment of our marriage vows.
I therefore commit myself to be your
honouring, supportive and loving wife
for all the years l shall live with you.
I shall treat you with the love and care
that you deserve as my husband.
Indeed I shall treat you with
the dignity and nobility that is befitting
of the king of my heart.
On my mind it is always fresh
that I am the flesh of your flesh.
Green or grown

I am the bone of your bone.
I know very well what I am getting into:
I am getting into a relationship that
elevates me into a kingdom of wifehood.
I shall endevour to put my family first
with all the rights, obligations
and privileges that come with wifehood.
I shall endevour to wipe off and ward off
loneliness and lostness from our relationship,
seeking nothing but your companionship;
banking on your stewardship,
sinking together any hardship.
Since you are mine
I shall not do anything else to undermine
our relationship for personal
or egotistical
reasons.
Now and forever
I am your lawful and loving wife…

11. Security Blanket

       by Anonymous

No chance of rain tonight,
No bogeyman, when I turn off the lights.
A phrase I found and adore with the warmth of your security.
You are the reason I attain true maturity.

I love when you lay down next to me,
Like the high tide of the sea,
You move all the warm emotions inside.
My arms are the comfort you use to seek and hide.

Your nestle holds a true rhythm that hums its own song~
Nothing comes close to breaking this precious bond~
A sweet cradle-song only I hear,
You play my grin, without the strings of a puppeteer.

My heartbeat needs its fix and drug,
Your sweet, charming smiles and hug,
Is all I need to succeed,
You are, my only creed!

A kiss, I give on your forehead,
Into a poet’s world where your blanket a dulcet lullaby,
my arms are your bed.

“Goodnight Sweet Child, Sweet Child of Mine!”

12. Puppy Love vs True Love

       by Anonymous

Once love, or rather, that which I thought was love
Swept me over
And had me racing up on a highway
I raced up and up
Till I reached the top most part of a summit
Only to fall
Back down
Broken into pieces
With deep scars
And loose bolts
And, to my horror,
Realized that I had lost a part of me
A part which I needed most
To fit in society
To cater for myself
And to tend to life as well!

Why, at that time,
I had been running after looks
After the impulses of desires
And I had wanted
To fill up an empty space in my heart
Void and vacant, it had hurt so much!

Pray, now that I’ve matured
And now that I can claim to know love
Love which is so sweet
That it makes me smile at all times
Love which is so melting
That it has become not only my fort
But also my support
My strength
My cause
And of course, my sole purpose in life

Love, have I come to know
Love, runs not after that which is transient
Love, when it is genuine and mature
Caters for the blooming of both the lover and the beloved
Love allows space, makes dreams come true
And even gives way to opportunities

Love, of such kind, I have grown addicted to
For love, of such kind, allows me to retain my individuality
Respects me and has been steadily sewing up
That which has been torn in me

Pray, puppy love is just for social acceptance
Puppy love is just for a show off
To seem glamourous
And to make others envious
But love, true and genuine
Remains discrete
But reveals itself, bared, naked, disrobed and flaming
In between closed walls!
Yes, love, when made of maturity
Remains as a shadow
But becomes the main propelling force!

13. Phill

       by Anonymous

Life’s a One Way, Uphill.
Every Wrinkle on your Face
Marks a Step of Maturity.
You go Up not Looking
At the Peak but Dreaming
Of Sliding Down, Trying to
Look Younger than You Are.

Poems about Growing Up for Sons

Seeing your sons grow up is an unforgettable experience. Several feelings are linked with witnessing a kid develop, including joy, pride, fear, grief, humility, and, most importantly, love. Here are some poems about sons growing up.

1. In Anticipation of Your Birthday, Son

       by Kelly Roper

The cake is baked, the gifts are wrapped,
And the guests are about to arrive.
Eight boys will be revved up on sugar today.
Happy Birthday, son! I hope I survive!

2. From Kindergarten to Graduation

       by Kelly Roper

I remember the sunshine that morning
When I took your little hand in mine.
Together we walked those few blocks to school
Where you went for the very first time.

I remember the unsure look on your face
As we entered the classroom door.
You tightened your grip on my hand because
You’d never been to school before.

I smiled at you to show it was okay,
And took you to meet your new teacher.
She told you it was going to be a great day,
But I don’t think you really believed her.

I gave you a hug, we said our goodbyes,
And I walked toward the door to leave.
I looked back to see there were tears in your eyes,
And you wiped them away with your sleeve.

I worried the hours away that first day
Wondering how you were getting along.
Were you making friends, did you eat your lunch?
What if something had gone wrong?

The sad boy I left in the classroom
Wasn’t the boy who met me at the school door.
You were grinning as you happily told me
You wouldn’t be afraid of school anymore.

Now I’m here at your college graduation,
Remembering that long-ago day.
You’ve grown from a boy to an educated man,
And I’m prouder of you than I can say.

3. To My Son on His Wedding Day

       by Kelly Roper

When I watch you on the altar today
As you take vows with your new wife,
Just know my heart’s so filled with love,
As you embark on a brand new life.

Remember the lessons I’ve taught you
About respect, honor and faithfulness.
These virtues will guide and sustain you,
And ensure your marriage will be the best.

4. Haiku for My Newborn Son

       by Kelly Roper

Soft sounds from your lips,
The scent of your skin so sweet,
Love you, precious boy.

I Love You Son
By Michele Meleen

I love you son
Like no one else
Only you and I
Verified love personified
Every single
Moment I’m with
You, I feel that love
Sensing you feel it too
Only a mother’s love
Nourishes your soul

I’d Choose You Again, Son
By Kelly Roper

I may not be your mother by birth,
But you’re my true son in my heart.
I chose to create this bond with you,
And no one can tear it apart.

I couldn’t love you more even if
I had carried you in my own womb.
My heart’s bursting at the seams with love,
And there simply isn’t any more room.

I bless the woman who gave you life
And let you come to our family.
If I had to do it all over,
I’d choose you again as the son for me.

5. Wishes for My Son

       by Michele Meleen

If wishes were like seeds
on a dandelion in the yard,
I blow mine out on a breeze
for Mother Nature to safeguard.

I’d wish for my son
to be happy and free
like the bright burning sun
or a bird in a tree.

I’d wish for my son
to feel safe and loved
like man when life had begun
and the angels up above.

6. Prayers for My Son

       by Michele Meleen

My son,
who art from Heaven
I gave you a strong name.

Your kingdom will come
as your work here is done
my own little piece of heaven.

I pray you give me each day
as a gift of love
and forgive me whenever I’m wrong.

7. For My Son on Mother’s Day

       by Kelly Roper

You’re the reason I’m a mother,
And it’s a job I truly love.
And every morning when I wake,
I thank the good Lord above,
For giving me such a wonderful son
Who fills my heart with joy.
This might be my day, but I want you to know
I’m so glad that you’re my boy.

Poems about Growing Up for Daughters

Each stage of your daughter’s life is completely unique, with its own set of difficulties and marvels. Let us now take a look at some poems about daughters growing up.

1. For My Daughter

       by Weldon Kees

Looking into my daughter’s eyes I read
Beneath the innocence of morning flesh
Concealed, hintings of death she does not heed.

Coldest of winds have blown this hair, and mesh
Of seaweed snarled these miniatures of hands;
The night’s slow poison, tolerant and bland,
Has moved her blood. Parched years that I have seen
That may be hers appear: foul, lingering
Death in certain war, the slim legs green.
Or, fed on hate, she relishes the sting
Of others’ agony; perhaps the cruel
Bride of a syphilitic or a fool.
These speculations sour in the sun.
I have no daughter. I desire none.

2. My Baby

       by Anonymous

My baby, my child,
I love everything about you.
I love you all the time,
Even when you act wild.

Even when you cannot love yourself,
I wish you happiness, love, joy, and health.
I worry about you because I cannot imagine a life without you,
Do not ever forget that no matter where this life takes you,
I will be here cheering you on, ready to love you with open arms.

3. My Sweet Daughter

       by Anonymous

When you were little,
You and I always talked about your day.

Years later, though, it’s not every day,
We still talk about your day.

And I’m glad to hear you,
Just know, my sweet daughter,
I always love you.

4. My Sunshine

       by Anonymous

My daughter is my everything,
She means the world to me.
She’s like a little flower,
And busy as a little bee.
Daughters are the sunshine,
That comes after the rain.
A bright beacon of hope,
When not much joy remains.
Daughters are blessings,
A rare coveted few.
And few love their daughters,
The way I love you.

5. Brightest Star!

       by Anonymous

You laugh with me,
When I am hearty and happy.
My dear yYou cry with me,
When it is the smallest and saddest thing.

Thanks for being such a wonderful daughter that you are,
Always shine like the brightest star!

6. Sparkle of Life

       by Anonymous

She does everything without any reason,
She is just the same in every season.
She cares and does not make you feel,
She does everything for you with great zeal.
You do not have to tell her anything,
She is the sparkle of life, a very cute bling!

7. Best Gift

       by Anonymous

Every time I look at your pretty face,
It reminds me of my old days.
It feels amazing to see my own image in front of me,
It is just that you are prettier than I could ever be.

You are beautiful, my dear, and so is your heart,
Your mind is even wonderful, so clean yet unbelievably smart.
I am so proud to see you grow into such a lovely woman,
You, dear daughter, are the best gift to me God has ever given.

8. Grow Up Pretty

       by Anonymous

Grow up pretty and confident, my girl,
You have the will to go so far.
See the meanings of things that matter,
For those will take you where you are.

See positive insights in life,
That will help you to strive forever.
Try my girl if you have the wish to do,
Nobody can really stop you.

Just be who you want to be,
And life will be so merry.
You stay close to my heart and near,
I love you a lot, my daughter dear.

9. My Pride And My Joy

       by Anonymous

I love your enthusiasm, your joy, and bright smile,
With you in my mind, I can go for miles and miles.
I love you so much, there’s no need to be coy,
I love you so much; you’re my pride and my joy.

10. Full of Colors

       by Anonymous

You are full of so many colors,
It always fills me with so much wonder.
Red as a rose, blue as a bird,
Yellow as straw, white as the sky.
So many colors make you who you are,
In my eyes, you are my star.

Final Thoughts

We hope you liked our selection of poetry about children growing up.

If you discover one you like, write it down and memorize it.

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Growing up does not happen immediately, yet those childhood days seem to pass much too quickly.

Enjoy each poem and let your imagination to drift back to your younger days.

These poems about growing up might pique your interest and creativity, whether you’re a parent, teacher, student, or simply someone who appreciates beautiful poetry.

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