How fragile and tender

                               that little girl yearning

Just wanting to be loved and to love.

Building beautiful cities inside her

                              with moats and high towers

Walled gardens behind sentinel gates.

Ferrying her love

                             clenched fist

Around a hyacinth seed,

Protecting tender shoots

                              from ruthless boots

And only letting so much outside.

But now!  An inner unfurling!

The gates creaking open!

Her love spreading boundless and free.

Her umbrella of love is ever expanding–

Soon it will shelter the world.