Wednesday, September 11, 2013

For Bethany

Big Sister

Big sister,
are the years like clouds to you, rolling past with the wind?
Big sister,
how deep do your roots go? Can you touch everywhere I step?
Big sister,
can you feel me growing? Will you help me to be strong?
Big sister,
do you breath easily now?
Big sister,
does the sun come down to see you? Does she sit beside you and say, “my, how beautiful?”
Big sister,
will you stay here, and see my children, and their children, grow old and die?
Big sister,
are these others your family now? Why do you hold their hands so tightly?
Big sister,
don’t you get tired, holding up so many? Is it their songs that make you so tall and strong?
Big sister,
when it rains, do you step out of the ground and dance like our mother?
Big sister,
what if these little red ants love you best of all?
Big sister,
why do you sing so quietly now? Have you lost your pride?
Big sister,
will you keep my secrets and forgive me?
Big sister,
when I am earth, you will hold me again.