You’re Thirteen

You’re Thirteen

Once a little girl

Fast becoming a

Young woman

Questioning

Who you

Are,

Your place

In this world,

Let me assure

You

Its all normal

Let me tell

You too

I’ll always

Love you

But there are

Things

I need to

Remind you

In a world

Where you

Can be

Anything

Be kind

But never make

Yourself vulnerable.

Never judge

A person

By what you

Think they

Cannot do

Don’t let wheelchairs

Prosthetics

Afo’s

Blindness

Deafness

Be the definition

In which you

Define someone

Take the time

To get to know

Someone

Physical difference

Aren’t someone’s

Definition

Anymore

Than it’s

Yours.

It’s okay

To pamper

Yourself

But never let

Beauty define

Your worth

Always remember

True beauty

Comes from

Within.

Never bow

Under peer

Pressure

You’ll make

Mistakes.

And I have too

There are times

I’ve said things

In anger or fear

Even to you

It doesn’t mean

I don’t care

It means

I care enough

To do everything

In my power to

Keep you safe.

I try not to

Hide things from

You

And I doubt

I will

Protecting you

Often means

Speaking of

The dangers.

Never ever

Put yourself

Out there

In a way

That makes

You feel

Vulnerable.

When you see

Someone being bullied

Stand your ground

Tell an Adult

A teacher

And always

Remember

You are capable

Of great

Things

So dream

Big dreams.

(C) Michelle R Kidwell

November.10.2021