Child's Fire

A Poem by Katya Wild


You waited till the dead of night
To grab me in my sleep,
And took me through a golden fence
Convinced I'd never leave.

You made certain that your fire
Was the one light I could see.
You burned out every other light
Which cried to shine on me.

You thought I knew nothing
About anything
But you
Though I thought I knew everything
That I could ever dream of being true.

With me you were impressed
How well I followed your lead.
How I listened to your words.
How I only spoke with plead.

Pride was something evil
For any one of us to feel.
Each knew the consequences 
Of a taste from that meal.

Continuous blind starvation.
But I saw a hunger of my own.
To stray to the stream of reflection
Where one may only go alone. 

I tipp-toed through the golden fence
And made my way by the stream.
I peered down through the dark grey air
And vagely saw a face of scream.

I ran back to the fence 
All I saw was dark
I searched around for your tree's leaves;
I could light them with your bark.

But I couldn't see the fire
It wouldn't burn for me.
I realized only my own
Would allow to me see.

So I know you taught me something.
To grow my own tree 
Till the day I cut her down
And burned my fire from a seed.

I saw the light lit up your hands
Next unto your face
It wasn't till I it lit your eyes
That, then, I saw your grace.