I am a child
My mother tucks me in
I snuggle with my teddy bear

I am a child
I cover my eyes during ‘scary’ movies
I hug my daddy when he comes home

I am a child
I build forts and I am the princess
I play with dolls and I am the mommy

I am a child
I dip my animal crackers in water
I put on every dress I own and change again

I am child
I love Happy Meals ‘cuz they have toys
I bite the bottom off my cone and slurp out the ice cream

I am a child?
Or I was a child?

I am a child?
I never see my mom
I go to bed alone

I am a child?
I watch horror shows and laugh
Dad is far too busy for me

I am a child?
My only fort is the room I hide out in
My dolls went to Goodwill long ago

I am a child?
I don’t dip my food in anything others might think ‘odd’
I blow my saving on all the ‘latest stuff’ so I will fit

I am a child?
I starve myself to be good enough
I could never eat ice cream

I am no longer a child
I have been ‘exposed to the world’
I had ‘the talk’
I know all the ‘dirty words’

I used to count the days ‘till I was big enough
I wanted so much to grow up
The time never went fast enough

If only I could be a child again