Sprawling Childhood

This poem is filled with fun memories of books, songs and poems that I read to my daughter when she was small. She's visiting colleges now, and these are some of the things she clings to. See if you can pick them out ;) 

The Big Red Barn,

and Goodnight Moon,

Runaway Bunny, gone too soon

I will love you forever

hungry caterpillar

that through my skin crawled

and very hungry, drank of my life

until a butterfly you became.

One, Two, One, Two

and through and through,

this flesh, this life

and with it run into the present light

Transparent  like the dawn

Paper wings unfolding

through chrysalis of adolescence,

you were only waiting for this moment to arrive

silhouette through paper in fire

blinking to glimpse with vision obscure 

One day, dear one,

I will learn the art of weeping

Like the mad one that I am.

It’s midday now, and sun hot upon my skin.

I see your wings barely

through squinted eyes.

Breathe, just breath

release this day.

Sunken eyes now see,

you have taken broken wings

and learned to fly.