You never understood why I loved the rain.

Or why I would kick off my shoes and dance,

Even though my clothes got soaked.

You just went inside and watched from the window.

You always said I was a free spirit.

But it took me years to notice the worry in your eyes.

The wild things are the easiest to destroy.

And the hardest to put back together.

Because the pieces are always changing places.

I was never scared of the monsters in my closet or under my bed.

Thunder never made me hide under my covers.

Instead I pressed my nose against the glass and counted

How many times the sky lit up with lightning.

You frowned when I said I wanted to have that kind of freedom.

Your hands shook when you held me.

And your eyes were sad when you walked away.

But you still did.

I skipped down the train tracks that day

And didn’t bother looking behind me.