When I spend all day outraged,

at the latest infuriating tweet or post,

I miss seeing your first steps.

When I spend all day rage texting,

about the latest idiocy,

I miss your first date.

When I spend all day muttering,

about the latest outrage shown to me on my ever present phone,

I miss the door closing when you leave.

I then realize,

I missed your whole childhood in a cloud of media served outrage.

If I could go back in time,

I would,

for you have always been,

the most important thing in the world to me,

but somehow I forgot that.

© words by Dan DeMarle 1/26/21