To my Daughter in the Future

You are sitting at the kitchen table
Lavender hoodie with silver sparkles
Headphones; rabbit lovey; Skylanders Giant
You are ten years old and sometimes
I forget as I'm watching your brother flash before my eyes
That you, too, are growing up
So fast
Faster than I can count or comprehend;
It's October
And you are typing out a horror screenplay
And you are hoping we, your family, will act it out
So many things you want to see
Come to fruition
And you have had so many failures:
A stand where no one bought your lemonade
And a booth of clay figures but no one stopped to look
And a restaurant made out of black wooden cubes in our side yard
And the neighbors said they'd stop by later... but they didn't.
Your chin has not lowered to disappointment
You charge headlong into each new battle: hopeful
This time it will happen
This time it will come
This time I will...
And you believe it like older women no longer can and I
Pray with every part of my mortal soul and immortal spirit that you will never allow
Anything
To douse your flame
Oh, Daughter, how they will try
And spray you with their words
And hunt you down with their hands and fingers
How they will shout from their car windows
And how they will look down their noses and they will make fun
Of things that you spent hours creating - someday you will feel knocked down and you will want to give up but you must not do this.
Remember that girl
That ten year old girl in her lavender hoodie
With the silver sparkles
And a spunky new hair cut that shows off her faery nature
Do not forget her
Cut out her picture and post it on your bathroom mirror
She is in you. She is in you.