In twenty-eleven, the world was bright,
You came to us in the morning light.
Our firstborn son, with a spark so clear,
Growing so fast while you were here.
Eight months of wonder, wise beyond your days,
We watched in awe of your clever ways.
But twenty-twelve brought a winter chill,
And the house we built went quiet and still.
The light grew dim when you slipped away,
Leaving a hole that remains today.
An angel in heaven, watching from above,
While we’re left down here with an ocean of love.
I look at your sisters, so full of grace,
I see a bit of you in every face.
They never met you, but they know your name,
The brother who started our family flame.
Your mama misses the boy she held tight,
Whispering your name in the middle of the night.
It’s a house of women, and I stand alone,
The only man left in this earthly home.
We would have been brothers, we would have been friends,
A bond of two males that never quite ends.
I miss the adventures we should have had,
Just a growing boy and his proud, loving Dad.
But I’ll keep your memory polished and bright,
Until I step out of the dark into light.
Wait for me, Jayden, where the golden paths run,
Til we meet again… my beautiful son.
Author’s Note
This poem song is a deeply personal tribute to my firstborn son, Jayden. He was born in 2011, bringing an incredible brightness into our lives, only to leave us far too soon in 2012. At just eight months old, he was already showing a spirit and intelligence that surpassed his age. This piece explores the specific grief of a father who misses his “partner” in the house — the son who should have been by my side as we raised his two younger sisters together. It is a promise that he is never forgotten and always loved.
