I wish I had your footprints

I wish I had your footprints


I wish I had your footprints
To remind me of you
I wish I had some handprints
That would make me remember
You were too small
The nurses couldn't get them
So all we have are pictures
That we took that day

Now little inky smears
Though hardly recognizable
Would be preferable
To nothing
At least I would know you existed
In tangible form
Set down on paper
On the day you were born

So now I have someone's footprints
On a stamp bought today
The emotions ran rampant
As I made the first impression
I wish those where yours
I heard myself saying
As the tears began to flow
Quickly I wiped them away
Before anyone would know

Upon the piece of paper
Where the first marks were made
I wrote a simple line
To help me express my pain
"Gone, but not forgotten"
simple works that is true
But these stamped footprints
Remind me of you.