Leaving

when children are small — very small — we leave

them in the hands of other people — caretakers

we have chosen to keep them safe while we go

off to work or shop or take a test or a hike

or we merely drive around to be alone, or sit at home

with a book & coffee or a drink, a few hours

without the clinging child — we tell the child what

is about to happen, we construct a world of more

children & smiling caretakers, yet the child

stands big eyes in a wide face screaming

not to be left, clinging until someone tears them

away — Phaedra lay face down on the floor

screaming until an hour later Erika came for her

this trauma of separation, they must be taught

because they can’t count on us, can’t count on

anyone, sooner or later we leave them for good