She said I was such a good baby

Such a good nature 

She could wake me up in the night

Pick me up 

Play with me 

I’d put on a show 

For her 

And her friends 

And then they’d put me back 

Always performing 

Never resting 

–

No rest 

The baby 

doesn’t get no rest

Then the adult 

will never know rest 

Time passes 

But I took it with me 

My go bag 

My stick 

A handkerchief tied at the end 

Filled with things 

The things she asked me to carry 

Duitilfy 

I did 

I do 

Filling the space 

Filling the need 

Born to play a role 

Aces in their places 

You need me 

Need me to protect you

Need me to fix you

Heralded 

Victory of the people 

Bringer of peace

Healer 

That’s what you said

Protector 

Put in the watchtower

Head of security 

Charged with community well-being  

–

Sure was serious up there 

Sure was lonely up there 

So I phoned in a friend 

An inflatable joker 

A gust of air was all it took 

He’d be up 

Making light 

In the dark 

With a stuck on smile 

To hide the lows 

But then we needed someone else

Someone who wasn’t a child

Someone who wasn’t made of air 

Someone bigger 

Tougher 

Someone who built their tower in front of us both

Someone to take the blows 

Someone who could protect the protector 

And their magical wind bag 

–

Shapeshifting is tiring 

And we three 

We need rest 

From being the road crew 

Filling your voids

Your potholes 

Your chasms 

Because watching you

Chasing you

Made me 

Too fast 

Too furious