I had to have a talk today,
a serious talk with my little bear;
for he was to be mine no more,
I didn’t want him to think I didn’t care.
I took him to our favourite place,
and we sat there rather than continuing to walk;
bear just really wanted to play,
I said ‘No bear, please sit here with me so we can talk’.
Bear knew something was up,
and he sat quietly for awhile;
he thought perhaps I was sad,
so he hugged me and gave me a smile.
I said ‘Bear I must give you away,
please don’t be mad with me.
It makes me very sad to do it,
but I have to don’t you see?
Baby brother is coming home,
he’s coming home today.
He has no one to call his own,
so I must give you away.
I have lots of other toys,
but you know you’re my special one.
I can share my secrets all with you,
and every day we have such fun.’
Bear looked back at me and stared,
saying nothing, nothing at all;
I thought he’d never smile again,
so I sat up nice and tall.
‘Bear’, I said, ‘you wait and see,
my brother will be fun.
He can’t walk, or talk right now,
but one day he will run.
Then you’ll have so much fun,
just like you had with me;
and sometimes I can come and play,
it’ll be okay, you’ll see’.
I didn’t feel quite that brave,
and I tried hard not to cry;
we walked back home, hand in hand,
where we would say goodbye.
I put my bear inside the crib,
still trying hard not to cry;
giving bear up was the hardest thing,
I wasn’t sure how to say goodbye.
Dad saw me, and said ‘Hey there sport,
what are you doing there?’
I said ‘Baby brother has no one,
so I’m giving him my bear’.
My dad just stopped and looked at me,
and then he started to smile;
he said ‘That is kind of you, but he’s too small,
so you better keep bear yet for a while’.
He said ‘We’ll get a new bear one day,
for your brother, when the time is right.
For now, you and bear go play’
and he hugged me, oh so tight.
I took bear and left the room,
we went back to our favourite place.
Bear looked at me and smiled his smile,
and said, ‘Come on, let’s race.’
© Leslie C Dobson