I took a stab
at slicing cardboard
with scissors
so my daughter’s
stuffies
could ride
with their fur
whipping out
the windows
but
as I dragged the blade
the flesh
of my thigh
interfered
startled by
the stabbing
our umber irises
magnetized
I slowly lowered
the weapon
as if a man
in blue
drew steel
from his belt
a splinter of
shame
spoke sharply
dressed
in the same fabric(ation)
that scolds me
when I screw up
but no metal
shunned
stunned
or taser-gunned
me
for chopping
her childhood
into
misshapen hearts, scars
and box cars
no scarlet siren
flashed
in the face
of my mistake
you can’t get
cuffed
for corrugating
love
besides
maybe
she’ll cling to
memories
of mishaps
as she
beautifully breaks
the laws
defining
her own daughter’s
childhood
“good”
like that time
her mom
inadvertently
carved into her leg
instead of the cardboard
and once she lay down the
fear
their bodies shook
in stitches
because
turns out
she barely needed
a Band-Aid
So. Good. Yes! Abnormal childhood = healthy
Love this. Been there too!