The Child Returns

the child returns hearts-home where everyone smiles from their eyes too. dance beneath the moon her face full and bright. she casts shadows of the forest ancient and wise. pines as tall as forever whisper to one another green gossip collected, during the years. drums and chanting pull those, who would otherwise be reticent, to gift their deep feeling before a circle. open for all to wander through, remembering. treat as delicate winged creatures telling secrets hidden, in lost children, cloaked in pain, fear, anger. all who are wounded drop their onerous burdens beside the fire and walk away into the trees forest hushes move sweetly to comfort them, then collect a world of grief now redundant. it disappears into the earth to be reborn in powerful, strong people.