If I Knew
If I knew it would be the last time
That I’d see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
And pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time
That I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
And call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time
I’d hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would tape each word and action,
And play them back throughout my days.
If I knew it would be the last time,
I would spare an extra minute or two,
To stop and say “I love you,”
Instead of assuming you know I do.
If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I’m sure you’ll have so many more,
So I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there’s always tomorrow
To make up for an oversight,
And we always get a second chance
To make everything just right.
There will always be another day
To say “I love you,”
And certainly there’s another chance
To say our “Anything I can do?”
But just in case I might be wrong,
And today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you,
And I hope we never will forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
Young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
You get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you’re waiting for tomorrow,
Why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
You’ll surely regret the day,
That you didn’t take that extra time
For a smile, a hug, or a kiss
And you were too busy to grant someone,
What turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today,
And whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
And that you’ll always hold them dear.
Take time to say “I’m sorry,”
“Please forgive me,” “Thank you,” or “It’s okay.”
And if tomorrow never comes,
You’ll have no regrets about today.
Norma Cornett Marek ~ 1989, in memory of her beloved child whom she lost.
This poem was used as a tribute to those lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
