A Child Again

Let her be a child again
let loose
in this huge world. Let her
gaze afresh
at the creatures she comes across
so that she has to guess,
or invent, the name
that belongs to them.

Let her hear them roar
so that she runs in fear
giggling all the while
with the excitement.
Let them chase her
across a beach
that is a desert
but don’t let them catch her.

I want her to get home safely
and have chips and beans
and fish fingers for tea.
And ice cream if she asks for it.
And make sure she has a bath
and gets tucked up in a cosy bed
and is read a bedtime story.
And see that she sleep soundly
and has wonderful dreams.