Child's Song

A child falls
then bleeds,
stumbles and bleeds.

She bleeds and bleeds.

"What do we do when we fall?"

"Get back up, Papa!"

A thousand cuts
will follow her
into adulthood.

♦ ♦ ♦

A child farts

then laughs,
belches and laughs.

She laughs and laughs.

"Where do you feel it?"

"In my belly, Papa!"

She laughs until

I'm laughing too.

♦ ♦ ♦

A child mourns

then cries,

questions and cries.

She cries and cries.

"Why the ambulance, Papa?"

"For the neighbor, Buddy."

Before the siren fades,

she's chasing butterflies

through the yard.

♦ ♦ ♦

So play the song

that she may sing,

play it till the fingers bleed.

Strike up the band.

She sings and sings.

"Play it again, Papa!"

A child's song celebrates
the living thing.