(For my niece)
A taut line tugs between our hearts,
A fish hook lodged deep in
my grey flesh
And when you leave me it
snaps.
The lump in my throat
balloons into
A full neck brace and the
snot is not
Pollen induced. I blink to
try and
Keep the waters well within
their borders
But the tide is rising,
relentless,
Reaching far in-land and
bursts its banks.
I can't help
How much I love you.
Us moon babies are born
from
The same flower. We see
the same,
Talk, fight, laugh the
same.
Sometimes you catch my
gazing
And face betrays heart. I
am guilty.
Caught red-handed, I hear
The click of a torch, I
see
The stark bright white orb
glaring
And I babble with bubbling
fear that
"Yes, Officer, it was
me who murdered-"
Whoever. Adoring you, the
way I do, feels
Dangerous, a crime, and
you
The all-ignorant victim of
my love.
All you see is fun, sun,
bogies, emojis,
Fountains, mountains,
unicorns, newly born
Magic and spells,
rock-pools and shells,
Cats and dogs and rabbits
and hippogriffs,
Ponies and unicorns and
dinosaurs and just a whiff
Of wisdom beyond your
years. Of concrete strength.
So off you jump, fishing
rod dangling and
Bashing from the straps of
your rucksack.
And though this pain is
deep and sharp,
I stop struggling, flapping,
flailing and splashing
And just float in my ocean
of love for you.
