All I was taught is
Fear and suspicion

A child is like a flame: warm and alive
The flame spreads, only by a single blow
The warmth spreads, but only to where the wind lets them
It is its protector and biggest enemy
They sculp the flame

Once the wind is to strong, the flame goes out
And the field of flames slowly decreases untill its empty

The flame is gone
The wind is gone

A low rumble in the distance
The ground trembles and turns
My knees betray me
The earth quakes
The rumble grows louder
A dust cloud draws near
A cacophony of hooves and heavy snorts
I blink, and they’re upon me
A stampede of hogs
Trampling me
Stamping me down
I contort
I cry out
I bleed
Mangled, through swollen eyes
I watch the mob reach the horizon
I’m left broken
Tattered, bruised
And coated in slime

I snap back to consciousness, and I’m sitting up in my bed.
That’s the third time tonight, I think to myself.
It’s dark, so I listen.  A powerful snore echoes beside me.
My drooling, snot-faced daughter has snuck into my room again.
I wipe her excretions from my shoulder and scoop her up.

Navigating the dark, circumventing the tissue-laden floor,
Taking extra care not to startle the guinea pig this time,
I clean and cover her up, then gently kiss her forehead.
I linger and brush her hair aside. Snorting loudly, she turns.  
With ballerina grace, I tiptoe over Barbie Dolls.

In the kitchen, the dishes overflow from the day before.
Cleaning till I’m exhausted, I ascend the stairs to my room.
A familiar rumble fills the hallway. The hooves crushing my ribs.
On my side of the bed, my daughter in a drool-filled, snotty puddle.
These dishes are getting done tonight, I think as I scoop her back up.

Down one side,
Up the other,
The kids have you
Climbing up the walls,
Count me out.

Say it isn't so,
Words along the way
Spell it every kind of wrong,
Take it easy,
Life is a merry-go-round,
Learn-as-you-go,
Flip of a coin,
Shop of horrors.

So there's no need for panic,
It's a moving picture,
Just keep your extremities
Inside the vehicle at all times,
Otherwise limbs may fall.

Yay! I have time to myself
Colours ooze from every pore
Mind of a monochrome dictionary
Turning into a fire-red seesaw

Yesss! Can't hold me down world
Throwing gang signs for good measure
Singing songs like I'm in the shower
Dancing naked in this stormy weather

She assured me I'm allowed to fail
And I'll still be loved like hell
So I did a little ***** shake celebration
Shook so hard and fast I fell

Finally! She saved me from my childhood
This woman taught me how
To be intensely me and yet happy
And that's all that matters now

Im doing it! I'm doing it!
I'm becoming what I need.
The woman who listens so intently
It's me, it's me, it's me!