When you protect a child's innocence,
they see the world more purely.
When you are the cause of their guilt,
they are misunderstood.
But children are much less fickle than opinions and rules and adults.
Adults change the world secondly,
children come and sadly go
but they always know
a little thing called
perspective.
They interpret the world with what they know
and what they know is what you give them.
What they need is a shield, a stuffy, a friend, and an influence.
Save the swords for adolescence.

I told her not to stuff her mushrooms up the chimney.
Not to brew any potions.

Here I am, stuffing my chimney and downing elixirs.
Elixirs that aren't even mine.

Sleep
all the words holding me
soothing me
sedating me.
I don't resist because she is comfort
comfort in letting go and thinking,
dreaming, wishing, hoping, creeping.
Creeping back into myself, finally.
My eyelids weren't heavy
but having them closed makes me sway
in and out and slowly down.
Down into a dark place.
I am not afraid.
My mind is its own anchor
my body losing feeling
my heart slowing.
I am at peace within myself.