Dear One

for the (be)coming years

Dear One,

You were knit natural in the womb -
a Gemini
constellation
of bones and blood,
blessed
with the twin fullness
of creation,
born good, but, perhaps,
more at home
in the stars.

Dear One, this earthly life is hard -
unforgiving
as a mother
is unforgiving
of herself.

Hard
and unrelenting
in its condemnation
of any liberation
of the mind.

You are not made of common clay
for common hands
to trifle with.
You are not a collection of breaths
for others to spend
kindling fires
and burning time.
You are not even mine
to cage with my smothering love.

Dear One, listen
to my words,
hide them in
in your heart,
hear them
in the dark days.

Dear One, stay
natural as you were first knit
of strong stuff and star stuff
in the world of my womb.

Dear One,

find your tribe.
Find a girl.
Fall in love.
Naturally.
And never let
"ought to be"
stand in your way.

A letter for K's prompt at Real Toads