My friend

her young body, mind and heart
is scarred 
from the wounds of 
her family, kin, ancestors,
lives past
generations
energetic chains
that keep her stuck
like marrow running 
inside the bones of
so much of what 
I say, feel and do!

I want to grow
I lament, frustratingly!
up and outward
expanding comfortably
into my sky-skin
I want to dive
deep and inward
into the sea 
of my magnificence
with hubris, I repeat!

But, her scars and chains 
keep her bounded
to the stories past
bounding me to a shine
smaller than mine
I don’t know what she needs!
How to rid her of me!
Resisting her hard out of me.
I abhor her shadow on my legacy. 
We keep stumbling, falling
competing, who will win, bringing
more wounds and scarring

Hopeless! I resign! stop trying. 
sitting defeated
in silence
I finally see her baby eyes 
looking straight through me
she whispers, dear one
maybe… if you ask, 
I know what will ease this 
pain so deep, 
keeping us bound 
as frenemies.

I loosen my grip questioningly
and softly she says
a kind and patient ear
in another perhaps,
eyes that see me and the pain,
tender hands that love and 
hug my broken being
A friend is all I seek or 
if not too much to ask
re-parent me, please?

Parented by this child
I realize, the ironic tragedy 
and pick her tiny up gently
in my old unwise arms and 
whisper
I am sorry little one!
I deeply
and completely
in this moment till eternity
accept and love you for you 
I shall nurse all your scars 
letting your healing nurse me
because we are the friend,
parent we both seek. 
and it is in holding you
that holds the key 
to my sky and sea.

Photo by youssef naddam on Unsplash