The young loves

         "Can we play?"

can i examine your love?

i want to make sure she is safe

 

i want to know your child will not hurt mine,

that she will not come home crying and dusty,

and i will have to figure out once again to convince her to be ok,

that she is loved. (i am running out of new convictions)

 

can your love hold her hand, walk on a balance beam

can it fall without crushing her?

 

and also so that i might tell her of what precautions to be wary,

where to step when she finds herself falling,

below the deadly shadows trailing your love

 

is your love used to falling? can she grasp m’love’s hand and ease her, gently, over her next cliff

 

 

can you tell me, your love, 

         might they dance a song so beautiful, her tears taste like honeydew when it ends?

as she will collapse into my chest

that this one won’t fall, and become dirt 

dust storm she once danced with