стиш [to my child]

[ukrainka]

if I could
I’d hold your hand in my
kissing every little finger
breathing my love
into every cut
every scrape
every sore
dissolving all and every pain
making sure
monsters are slain

if I could
I’d fix every mistake
before
you even thought of making it
I’d make every dream
come true
and if that fails
I’d take the old dream
and give you the new

if I could
only tell you
how many times I’ve thought
of giving up
but that’s not
what I’d want you to do
and I keep on going
if I could
I’d be a step ahead
and a step behind
watching over you
and guarding your peace
making sure
you don’t trip
you don’t fall
and if you do fall
your landing is feather soft
that nothing bad happens to you at all

if I could
I’d tell you
how what why and where
I’d make sure
we always breathe the same air

but I love you
too much
and that’s why
I can’t