the first sign

na.

terrifying to the eyes

of the child,

no matter the age,

is the sharp circle of

life ready to

decapitate us

when the parent,

the caregiver,

the one whose life we

depended on, the one

whose net kept us

safe,

begins to fall away---

that

first

sign

of weakness,

when this person,

this mortal,

shows themselves to

no longer be bulletproof,

by getting sick, by dropping

right then & there

in front of us,

by landing themselves in the

hospital &

this time,

coming out permanently

different,

permanently slower,

permanently more apt to

fall again &

quite possibly,

to never get up,

to cease,

to disappear forever,

leaving us holding the

reins to

nowhere.