The Dragon Whispers

You, who gave birth to me with love and pain

you nourished me with body and soul,

from my little steps, you have been there

to always push me forward

to take one step further,

knowing that I would fall

and you would have hugged me while I cried,

you are always there to console me

and without forcing me

you tell me I have to try,

but now you are fragile

I see it in your trembling smile

to show me that everything is fine,

so I'm learning to take care of you

and with kisses I still fill you.

***

You, who met my gaze on the first day of school

sitting on the farthest bench, small and dull,

the next day, we were friends forever

we exchanged the most beautiful dolls

dreaming that we would be like them

but one day, we threw them away

because their record repeated the same words

and we wanted to sing and dance and make up silly poems to shout,

then forever ended, and we never saw each other again.

***

You, I envied you at the University

because you were beautiful and light

and the guys looked only at you

and one day I thought I hated you

instead, you smiled and sat next to me

and you talked to me for hours about what you liked

and I thought it was just for bragging rights

and every time you did something for me

I thought there was something underneath,

instead, it was friendship for free,

friendship as a gem, friendship for no reason,

and you were a silence for my confessions

a witness to my first love

and a silly face to make me laugh

and even if we don't see each other much

we never disconnect

and you tell your children that I am their aunt.

***

You, who I feared on the first day of work

in a new city with stranger faces,

you walked decisively and confidently

everyone listened to your words

and you taught me that work ennobles women

that no one gives you anything

that nothing is owed to you

and never let yourself be caught unprepared,

and my fear changed to admiration,

first, I wanted your guidance

and then I wanted to be like you.

***

You, with dark, liquid eyes

you saw the war and death of a century ago

and your hands wrinkled from fatigue

that built a happy home,

you taught me ancient songs and recipes

and you got angry if my hair wasn't tidy

or I didn't sit down like girls do,

I wanted a long braid like yours

in that black and white photo on an old motorbike

then you laughed and told me that

the village criticized you for that rebellious act,

but if you hadn't done it, none of us would have ever been born

because the boy with the motorbike was my grandpa,

then you left me without saying goodbye

on a December day,

but I meet you in my dreams

you call me from afar, and I run to you,

my feet are small because I'm a child again

you take me in your arms,

and I wake up happy

because I can still smell your hair.

***

You, who I don't know yet,

but I see you as in a mirror

where envy and fear are easy,

selfishness and competition at hand,

and everyone wants something for themselves

sometimes that's how I feel.

But now I see,

the dragon beside me.

The dragon has many faces,

and each face is a woman,

I lean forward to see better

while the dragon whispers:

every woman is your sister.