Everyone
Was once the baby of the family.
Cuddled and cursed,
Fondled and blessed.
No one on earth compared to you.
You weren't beautiful,
You were stunning.
All eyes were watching
Every move commented on
Your falls were praiseworthy
Love was freely lavished
People... Strangers...
Wanted to pick you up
Hold and hug
Make eye contact
Feed you
Whisper silly things
Stroke your head
And show you to the world.
We're more reserved now
We can't do the above
As much as we'd like to
We'd be the ones
Behind bars.