You think you’ll be wary of strangers
and semi-trailers
and anything sharp
but it’s the little girls
who do the most harm
he hovers behind
their long hair
waiting
smiling
sure they will turn around
and love him
but they never do
they are not mean
they are worse
they don’t see him at all
his little bright face
hands clapping
he follows them
thinking
how fun
it’s a chasing game
he is as uninjured
as the piece of string
he tries to give to her
while I hold my heart
in place.