Wish

My wishes for you are simple:

That you never felt my touch as anything but tender

That you never heard my voice as other than encouraging,

That you never saw me look at you with anything but love,

That my fear for your safety was a scent you never caught.

But maybe that is wrong, and nature-counter.

It would make a nest too soft and safe for leaving

And as my mother said, “all birds must fly.”

So my wishes for you are simple:

Touch the rough surface of the world, hear its noise

Take in all its scents, sweet and foul,

And know the metal taste of fear on your tongue,

And fly anyway.