SMALL
size matters
sometimes I want to be small Like the mouse sheltering under a leaf if I am small I can hide from everything occasionally peeking out from behind a book to take a sip of tea from the gossiping women drinking coffee if I am small I can quietly walk through the gardens trying to avoid any insects or spiders because I do not like them even when I am big cruelly crushing them under my foot or with a rolled up magazine sometimes I will say a little prayer for them and apologize for their premature death if I am small I can ride upon a hawk’s back soaring into the air as we catch an updraft slowly circling upwards to distant heights looking for prey I spot my prey first and whisper to the hawk where to go the orange colored man emerges from a large white house I signal to the hawk that the time is nigh from deep within the hawk comes the remains of a large squirrel who couldn’t run fast enough her aim was spectacular and the target’s comb over became a comb under if I am small I can whisper into the ear of the sleeping war criminal leader who is DOING EXACTLY WHAT WAS DONE TO HIS PEOPLE DECADES AGO not acknowledging that two wrongs do not make a right a simple lesson taught to children all over this big blue ball genocide is never an acceptable solution to any problem I would whisper to him to stop the slaughter and starvation of innocent children and women and young men and old men I would whisper to him to stop putting settlements on land that is not theirs I would whisper to him to just stop, just stop it all if I am small I could be like a snail wandering through life with my home on my back able to quickly retreat from the racism and fascism and authoritarianism and misogyny and misogynoir that inhabits the minds of those who believe in ignorance as a rule safe from the world in my little home I carry on my back if I am small I can be picked up when I fall swept up into a warm and soothing embrace slowly rocked in a place so safe and sacred it cannot be automated a song is gently hummed as I am rocked nothing else exists but this safe and sacred space because I am small