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'Take Baby Steps,' the tall, raw, rangy policeman said,
as if his tethered prisoner, had he chosen, could have sped,
he HAD to take the Baby steps, could not, instead ...

Even think of bolting, taking flight,
for he was shackled, chained, and fastened tight
to the tall, raw policeman who arrested him that night.

He had to shuffle, had to edge and inch,
as if fearful of falling, had to flinch,
and take the Baby Steps and creep and cringe ...

And somewhere in him, memories rose once more,
for he had taken Baby Steps before,
as he toddled to the world beyond his mother's door ...

The Baby Steps of innocence that he,
toddled in chubby curiosity,
into a future that was multiple and still to be ...

The Baby steps that every person takes
before the guilt, the fear, and the mistakes,
the wrong and wrathful choices everybody makes ...

And so, shackled and tethered, tightly chained,
somewhere inside him, weeping, there remained,
the infant, bright, and bold, and guiltless, and unstained.

Wow, tercet with the triplet rhyming scheme. And while you are in the tercet format, I presume you made use of it in terza rima, villanelle, and other poetic construct using this rhyme arrangement? Admirable iambic metrical consistency, also.

I've done villanelles, but not terza rima (yet). May have a go!

My second attempt at villanelle

Villanelle 2: Give All To Love

Give all to love, give in and be engrossed
For time that passes by would not turn back
There's no regret if you have loved the most

You cannot hide, it searches coast to coast
Each dream, longing and wishes, it keeps track
Give all to love, give in, and be engrossed

Love comes and goes, it may be gained or lost
If blessings it did bring, or it did lack
There's no regret if you have loved the most

High Heaven holds no power great to boast
More than resolve that loving hearts could pack
Give all to love, give in, and be engrossed

And then when all would fade as though a ghost
Of former selves the circumstances mock
There's no regret if you have loved the most

So if your heart's desire remains the most
In world of colors doomed of turning black
Give all to love, give in, and be engrossed
There's no regret if you have loved the most.

Have to go offline any minute so not had the chance to give it the concentration and attention it deserves, but may well print it out and get back to you - what I've seen in my glance-read looks brilliant! Thanks for sharing!

An exceptionally fine effort Lincolnshirelass. I am very impressed. Both the structure as well as the theme presented were skillfully rendered and quite the mark of a professional writer / poet in my opinion.