the day i ran after you

chased you down, really, down the street, two blocks, then three
hollow-tipped holes filling my heart as you became child,

and i, mother.

we both raced the ghosts that lived in your memory
and you ran faster so much faster so much faster and
i couldn’t tell you that i would protect you because

i didn’t understand that i was too short too young too innocent
to see even the tiniest glimpse of the demons you saw

coming on just over my shoulder.

in the end, it was you who talked like a child
me that patted shoulders and calmed as best i could
though inside my brain was screaming

stop and i

couldn’t find my way out of the forest we’d just entered
having forgotten to leave the trail of crumbs
that would lead us back to

before

and by the time you returned
to being you
the you
i thought i knew

i was someone completely

other.

.

.

.

A poem a day for 30 days.
In honor of National Poetry Month
,
this post is part of NaPoWriMo. see more here.
And also dVerse poets Open Link Night, join us!

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