Dear Little Spirit,
whom deeply I wish to meet,
and your laughter I'd wish to hear it,
see your twinkling eyes and wiggly feet,

I know it isn't your time, so within spirit is where you'll rest,
until it's a safer time for you to be here if this life allows,
for your life should matter whether you live within me or not, you shouldn't have to fret.
Your life should be yours to lead, not traditional-bound.

If you were to be a little girl, and grow to be a woman I'd fear every day
I'd get a call that something's happened to you,
the anxiety would chip me away,
and the times only get worse and there's already too many #metoo's

If you were to be a little boy, and grow to be a man I'd fear every day
you'd meet someone who'd hurt you worse than I have been,
make you distrust yourself and everything you say,
and claim they live life free of sin.

If you were to grow up to be neither, and simply be,
People who's business it isn't will enforce what they think,
"You can't be a they, only he or she!",
until one day I get a call, and it's pushed you to the brink.

Even still there's a risk, for you to grow up at all,
Guns within broken homes and who've faced more trouble than they deserved,
Now every parents fear as their own kids walk down public school halls,
and even if they're trial, there's still no true justice that's been served.

So until the world is right again,
and our country understands an individual's right to peace,
I'll keep you close in my spirit to avoid seeing your blood stain,
and even if I don't meet you in this life, I hope to see you when my spirit is released.


© Andy McCallister