You first touched my heart
When I was inside you
Then the gates opened
To a cold, cruel world
You counted my fingers and toes
But something else was missing
Maybe it’s in a picture book:
All those steps to climb
Rules to learn
Angles of pain
The animals collect dust
The bubbles burst
The night lights fade
The seashells lose their sound
The rocking chair breaks
The goldfish die
The mandala dissolves-
But visible bruises heal
Often I blame you for what can’t heal
For what’s inside of me-
The spiral staircase
But for all I know,
I chose you
Why?