SUNSHOWERS

To a Child Called Me

It was the peace of the birds, handsome

and upright, who distracted me, with their freedom songs,

from ICU rooms where tubes

bloomed like a lotus

in my father's throat.

The big, green yard helped me, too,

sending me kindred winds to numb that particular,

capricious, undeserving pain of

my mother's negligence, abuse, and

filthy touchings.

It would be my own rose-colored imagination

that would urgently usher to me

dreams to float so freely in, fields to

run till my feet hurt in.

My comforts were ones that I had to craft

myself.

Now I nervously look back into

this child's jumpy eyes, my own

now filling with motherly grace and

even forgiveness.

Neither life nor death nor angels nor demons nor bigots

could keep me from loving you

more.

I will never toss you aside,

my rambunctious darling.

Rise with me in power.

Come from the grimy corner

you've been backed into

for far, far too long

and

rise,

rise with me in power.