big and small (poem 2/22)
when you are small, the world is big in life’s great forest, you’re a twig as you may snap if you’re not careful, careful you must be if you are blessed to grow a bud, and by god’s grace it blooms you’ll join the ranks of those whose thanks come mostly from perfumes a silent word, a quiet thought, a third peculiar thing they come together in a pot till steam begins to sing when you are singing, you can fly above the tufts of trees but on your landing, take good care — you mustn’t skin your knees when you are big, the world is small you cannot feel a thing at all you’re numb to little pricks and blisters, nonchalant and calm and when you see a little twig, it’s strewn across your path it’s fallen to the ground, you see: well, you can do the math i’m in a place where thoughts abound, and dreams are clear as day yet if i think too hard it seems i’ve got nothing to say if i were big i’d burn too bright, and i don’t like goodbyes it’s clear to me i’d rather be o...