Baby woman,
Growing up too slowly -
But it goes so very quickly,
Till you don’t know
Where the pieces fit,
And little lies just make it all too clear
You’re out of here.

Out of mind,
And out of timely choices:
Hearing angel’s voices in a chorus
That can only take you
Farther from your home.
Don’t be so quick to tear away the page,
To ratchet up your age-old grievances.

Baby woman, stay a while,
Don’t leave everything behind -
Don’t pretend what’s on your mind
Is all you have to lose
And smile
Like unto a heart that’s breaking,
Brittle glass behind your twinkling eyes.
The others never saw,
And you would die before you let them see,
That maybe baby woman
Isn’t ready to grow up,
Move on,
And leave her world exactly as it was:
A memory in watercolors
Running down her history
In puddles made by tears she cried inside.

Baby woman, stay
A baby just a wee bit more -
Let helpless arms surround you,
And gather love before you leave.
Jump out, away
But never let it slip your mind
That one small word from you will bring an army,
Running to protect a baby woman
From the bets she’ll never win.