she is

5.

she is the little girl who twirls in rainbow dresses

flecks of sky in her eyes she chews on fairy bread daydreams spits out singsong hopes

one – two – three – grow!

she sprouts creatures from her head curled up kittens with magic claws elves in flower pots with dragonflies for horses and a time travelling mini monster under the pool filter

6.

her secret shape shifter visits her sometimes shrinks down to beetle-size whispers slippery rubber fears in her ears

play with me protect me hear me I’m scared something bad is going to happen

8.

she stares and stares at strangers in supermarkets heart lurches behind her mother’s starkness with every trolley squeak can’t swallow those soggy seasick memories

mumma protect me hear me I’m scared can’t get the bad thoughts outta my head

11.

she once feared kindly spindly spying men with beards coaxing creeping prying with the promise of a puppy

you’ll see you’ll see my sweet there’s nothing more to fear now that I’m here

15.

but she is wise now she knows a stranger is no worse than

someone dear

20.

and when she is grown the first woman she loves kisses her because she’s beautiful licks her crumpled smile with warm delight tells her she will be just fine the spilt ink of her mind is pressed into the pages of this

feeling

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