On Turning Five
(For Madison)

You are still afraid of ghost cats
and things that hide underneath your bed,
not to mention mean ducks
and older sisters with goblin hands.
So tonight on the evening of your fifth birthday
you tried hard to sleep in your own bed
for most of fifteen minutes
and then a small tug at my right arm
followed by pleading eyes,
a trip upstairs to my room
and hopefully you are now asleep in my bed.

In later years we may fight over other things
but I hope you remember
that small tug
and the warmth of mom's blankets, dear girl.