Little girl
I know it’s frightening
When the world spins so fast
And life feels like it might
Spit you out and off of its
Nauseating ride
Launch you in the air
And no one will catch you
Just like no one is holding you now

So you Hold on tightly
To your green and blue stuffed parrot
Whispering
“It’ll be okay”
Into the nape of his comforting neck
You hold his wings down at this side
And hold on tight for both your lives
Because you know that if you get tossed off
Neither one of you can really fly

Around and around you spin
And you squint your eyes so tightly
To keep the fear and tears in
There’s a stranger next to you trying to replace
The irreplaceable embrace
Of a mother’s shielding arms
Of a fathers strength of presence
Though surely neither had any idea
That a harmless ride
Could cause me such alarm
So you Bury the feelings of being left alone
And on your own again
As far down as you can slouch
into the loose belt on this ride’s metal couch

And you just Hold on tightly
To your green and blue stuffed parrot
Whispering
“It’ll be okay”
Into the nape of his comforting neck
You hold his wings down at this side
And hold on tight for both your lives
Because you know that if you get tossed off
Neither one of you can really fly

“It’s okay, birdie,
I’ll protect you”
Projecting on him all the
Safeguarding you wish you felt
Forced to lean into a stranger
When you feel most exposed
Like a deer in hunting season
In the middle of a field
Fight or flight not options in this moment
So you fawn
Next to this unfamiliar elder
While go away somewhere within
Learning the damning lesson
That If make believe is safer
And If make believe makes me feel brave
Maybe I’ll do this more often
Anyone can soar in painted skies
Tropical paradises
Created by the mind
I’m fine

So you Hold on tightly
To your green and blue stuffed parrot
Whispering
“It’ll be okay”
Into the nape of his comforting neck
You hold his wings down at this side
And hold on tight for both your lives
Because you know that if you get tossed off
Both of you will fly #dissociativedisorders #Trauma #Poetry #Pretending #Memories #Poetry #MightyPoets #sublimation #postprocessing #Grief #Anxiety #Hypervigilance