I Will Look Up To You
by Damani Gabriel Lopez 7/21/2012
For his mother Julia Lopez on her 50th Birthday
Before it all, there is a feeling
Something that the beating in your chest
Synchronizes to
Something that makes your eyes glisten
Your pupils eager to learn
When the world offers you its body
Can’t you hear the angels celebrating?
Sounds like kisses from your mother
Your father’s vibrato resonating
In the pockets of your existence
Each as warm as a hug from the womb
But what is life without that
What is life, without my mom
I wish to look up to you,
Coming from the mouth of
A four year old boy
Fresh as soap
Standing in the shower
Tears falling with water
Dripping from the tangle of
His curly hair
He learned that day,
As each second splashed on the floor,
That you can do things in ways
You’d never expect
She came into the
room
“Mommy, why won’t u dry me?”
“Monkey! You stood here so long,
you dried yourself!”
I wish to look up to you,
Even now as I’ve grown taller
And my assumption that you were a loving giant
Has settled into my imagination,
I know that you will always tower over me
You teach me that I
will always be growing
That when I feel I don’t fit in with the world
You show it to me at a different angle
Showing me that there is always a place to be yourself
I wish to look up to,
Coming from the tongue of an elderly man
His granddaughter on his lap
Telling her stories of her great-grandmother
How she accomplished the impossible
All while keeping a smile on her face
And her heart on her sleeve
That when someone mentioned Julia,
Their day didn’t seem so dark anymore
That when Julia walked in the room,
They remembered what love was
And he’ll smile at how much his granddaughter
Reminds him of her
Sweet dreams sunshine,
You’ve outshined the stars today
And you will everyday
Thanks for brightening up my life,
And guiding the way
I will always look up to you
