Young Man
His brother clutches his hand
as they walk together,
their combined bodies barely
three-quarter’s of a person.
Little one, you have
an inner strength,
and kind heart,
and a long journey
but do not let others look down on you
because you are young…

~*~

Young Girl I
So maybe you were studying at school
And lost track of the time
Or maybe you had an extra-late extra class
Or maybe you were waiting

But maybe you were out with your overaged boyfriend,
doing things your mother wouldn’t approve of
and your father would shoot him for

Girl-child, there are things you need to remember:
That just because your body says look at me,
and feels like it is on fire
don’t mean you need a man to come put it in out
And just because you look like a woman and feel like you big now
Don’t mean you can handle what these men throw at you
Keep your legs closed
and your eyes open
and your hands clasped in prayer
for guidance and salvation.

~*~