Our two-year-old neighbour
slept over last night
and my daughter
brushed the little one’s teeth
and read her a bedtime story
I wanted to love it
but she seemed so grown-up
as if I was watching
the last of her own littleness
fade away
I turned out the light
and listened for a while
from behind the door
they were quiet
so I assumed they were asleep
until I heard my daughter whisper
do you see our bellies going up and down
we’re made of water
and those are our waves
which made me smile
and buckle
with relief.