Halloween Baby

For Gabriel-

They told me he was a Halloween baby,
Born of trick-or-treaters, jack-o-lanterns
And a full moon rising in the sky.
His smile, lights up his blue-green eyes as
He bounces around in his Tigger costume.
Making conversation with every stranger in the store,
"Hi! What's your name? Do you like your job?"
Catching each one off guard until they just have to smile.
Always having something to say or a song to sing,
until a 'singing ban' has to be made for the dinner table.

Slowly embarrassment and shyness
Takes the place of his questions spoken with reckless abandon.
Growing taller and stronger, his voice getting lower, he starts to flourish
Found more often alone with a book than entertaining,
The subtle change sends silent vibrations through us all.
Writing his own book, he grows prestigious, testing his ground carefully.

The other half of his life lived in the shadow of his older brother.
My 44 boy padded up, standing tall and proud on the sideline
Waiting for his chance to show his newfound strength,
That will come soon enough, maybe too soon.
Growing up much too fast, it's getting harder and harder to see
That little boy with shining eyes and toothless grin
In the kind, brave young man he is becoming.

Everyone can see him tonight-
One of the Hawks, standing ready on the sideline
Suited up proudly bearing number 44.
Everyone except me
Standing where the strong young man was
Is a little boy in a Tigger costume,
smiling up at me through his shining blue-green eyes and slight freckles,
My 44 boy, my little brother, my Halloween baby.