Daughter born 2001
Nine months old when the Twin Towers fell
Equal time growing safely in her mother’s womb
Daughter born 2001
Sixteen years old when fans of Ariana Grande fell
Physics, the GCSE she will sit today
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
Newton’s third law applied to violent political discourse with devastating perpetual consequence
Daughter born 2001
Will not define her timeline by arbitrary acts of bloodshed by others
Nor by structures and systems imposed by bureaucratic pedagogy
Populate timeline with hugs / love
Let that be the marker for both her and younger sister born 2004
Let not the hate agenda of others infiltrate memory of the family album
Wrap arms around offspring so they know the feel and warmth of safely
Yet let them breathe so they to can taste the sweet palette of freedom
With only safety, without risk, they (whoever they are) have already won
2001
2004
They are the only important dates, for me
All else pales like dark smoke disappearing into sky.