written may 11, 2008 at 3:53pm

once upon a time
they were so small
they were always with me
they depended on me

once upon a time
i could provide for them
i could take care of them
they knew i would always be there

once upon a time
i knew their every move
i knew all of their friends
i knew their fears and dreams

but
this is no mother goose
the grimmest of the grimms
wrote our story and now
now
the fairy tale is dark
and sad and lonely

now they live in a
faraway land
in a modest suburban castle
with the king and his queen
and i am banished
trapped inside my head
standing
shading my eyes
peering into the distance
but i cannot see them
i cannot feel them
i cannot recall
the sound of their voices
except in my dreams

forever a mother
no longer their mom
i wanted only to be that
didn't need more
heart and soul i
threw myself into it
loved it
flourished

like a magical rose
in a fairy tale
i am wilted
my season has passed
my purpose has been served
nothing i do now
means anything
without them

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