Little Girl, Let Go
Feeding off her mother’s doubt,
Little Girl grows worried.
Her tiny hand clutches her mother’s skirt,
she whimpers, but dares not cry,
longing to be brave.
Still she shakes, she trembles
as she approaches the great, big building.
Her mother says something,
but Little Girl is too enraptured with
the brightly colored walls.
Bigger children run right past her,
oblivious to her terror.
She hides behind her mother,
wishing she were at home
in her room with her toys and imaginary friend.
Paintings and pictures smile kindly,
but all they do is scare her.
“Mommy,” she whispers, but her mother doesn’t hear
over the squeals, cries, and giggles of others.
Her mother stops abruptly and coos, “We’re here.”
The Door is covered with paper
with colorful, painted handprints.
The Door opens and she finds
____________Monsters with Sharp Teeth,
____________________Giant People with Giant Claws,
_____________________________Hissing, Biting, Growling –
Little Girl opens her eyes at her mother’s gentle prodding,
and is shocked to learn that she was all wrong.
The Door opens and she finds
____________Books and toys,
____________________Pretty girls and Dirty boys,
____________________________Blankets and pillows,
____________________________________Crayons and paper.
Little Girl lets go of her mother without thinking,
Hesitates.
____________Smiles.
____________________Then, she plays.
Little Girl grows worried.
Her tiny hand clutches her mother’s skirt,
she whimpers, but dares not cry,
longing to be brave.
Still she shakes, she trembles
as she approaches the great, big building.
Her mother says something,
but Little Girl is too enraptured with
the brightly colored walls.
Bigger children run right past her,
oblivious to her terror.
She hides behind her mother,
wishing she were at home
in her room with her toys and imaginary friend.
Paintings and pictures smile kindly,
but all they do is scare her.
“Mommy,” she whispers, but her mother doesn’t hear
over the squeals, cries, and giggles of others.
Her mother stops abruptly and coos, “We’re here.”
The Door is covered with paper
with colorful, painted handprints.
The Door opens and she finds
____________Monsters with Sharp Teeth,
____________________Giant People with Giant Claws,
_____________________________Hissing, Biting, Growling –
Little Girl opens her eyes at her mother’s gentle prodding,
and is shocked to learn that she was all wrong.
The Door opens and she finds
____________Books and toys,
____________________Pretty girls and Dirty boys,
____________________________Blankets and pillows,
____________________________________Crayons and paper.
Little Girl lets go of her mother without thinking,
Hesitates.
____________Smiles.
____________________Then, she plays.