Scene 235: Mother in Arms

Running through the dirt streets, the child trips,

falling on her face.

She sits on the floor, thinks,

then gets up

and runs again.

Voices call after,

sounds chase her,

sounds like static

but she ignores them

and runs

as fast a she can.

Mother will protect her.

And she rests in the child's arms

a little too big for her pocket.

She carries her mother

like a charm,

hugging her close to her chest;

she doesn't realize

that her soles are wearing thin

and her heels are faltering.

Then again, it really doesn't matter.

Mother will protect her.

Bouncing along like the coils in her hair

mom breathes in the open air

as the child carries her.

Sometimes mom gets heavy when the girl runs,

so she swings mom over her back,

and runs

like a schoolgirl once did

with her backpack over her shoulder

that heavy, heavy weight.

But no, mother is light as a feather,

of course.

Mother will protect her.