Sleep

and in my sleep
i'm five again
and i can lick my ice cream
the way i want

and he won't stand there
watching my tongue
scratching his belly
and calling me little girl

and with my eyes shut
i can't see his itsy bitsy fingers
climb up my blue skirt
i'm a pink pink flower
but all my petals got picked

and in my dreams
i can wear my yellow t shirt
and keep my rain boots on
Daddy's not here

and when it's dark
i can hit him back
and Mommy won't say it's my fault
the china jug cracked

in my dreams
there are bells on his boots
so i can tell
when Daddy's in my room

i can run outside through the field
get mud on my hands
and tear my new dress
but it won't matter

because in my dreams
i hit you back
you can't kill me anymore
i'm stainless steel

and in my death
i will be the happy five year old
that wears her yellow t shirt
and takes her rain boots off

and in my death
i will laugh a little louder
and run a little harder
'cause Daddy can't catch me
not anymore