If you find yourself
unable to summon sleep
into your eyes
I’ll sing you a song
to keep you calm
and we’ll wait for the storm
to subside.
If the weight on your shoulders
and the shackles on your ankles
become too much to bear,
I will carry you
over my shoulder
past the pinnacle of the hill
until it’s easier to walk.
And if your lungs
become too labored,
clogged with the smog
from your fears,
I will breathe air into your chest
and let light into the
garden in your ribcage
until your lungs are clear
and flowers grow
all the way down
to your toes.
I will trim the hedges
and pull the weeds
**** the toxins from your veins
and I will teach you how to do the same.
Because eventually,
the muscles in my legs
will no longer suffice for yours,
and the air in my lungs
will become stale in yours,
and you will need to carry yourself
to shore;
but darling I know
by the strength of your bones
you’re going to be just fine.