little girl’s eyes

filled with so much hope and adoration

for mother

she sees mother 

as womb

as provider

as protector

as lioness

as defender

as nurturer

as momma

little girl’s eyes

sees momma’s pain so clear

and wonders why momma cries in the blue of the night

little girl’s eyes

sees the she in me

she sees momma’s tears as a cleansing water of reality

for her own soul

little girl’s eyes

realize

that the tears momma cries are not just for momma

but for the life she never wants little momma to know

those tears have purpose.

to keep a little girl’s eyes

from being distorted with a watery, occluded lens of reality

clear vision

clear skies

slightly overcast 

is a much better picture

than a blinding bright, star-gazed sky…

there’s no beauty in

contrived blindness

little girls’ eyes can’t see in the sunshine

sometimes the sun is too bright

better off to let her see the world

with just a bit of overcast

yeah, just a bit of overcast

too much sun burns the head

slants the eyes

and calls for shades

more darkness.

no.

this momma wants clear skies 

for her little momma’s eyes

so she can see clearer than momma did.

clearer than when momma stared deeply into the bright sunshine.