Is there anything more

Is there anything more

To this than a thin disguise

The trappings of life

Loosely wrapped

For fear of strangulation

When desperate souls

Cry out for swaddling

The comfort of

Loving restraint

Carefully prepared

For the curious child

Restricted freedoms

Lightly drawn

To yield without collapse

A gentle hand

Upon the shoulder

Even as we grow

With independence

A fine release

Is there guidance

In attendance

Should there be a catastrophe

Is the fall greater

With little intervention

The safety net withdrawn

Before the first performance

Are we minded

To be cared for

In loco parentis

From one defining moment to the next

Is it a wish

To nurture mutuality

A primary need

To know love

To have progress monitored

Landmarked with indelible ink

Maintaining links

With each other

As protection against

The fear of an existential

Malaise

The inevitability of

Terminal decline

So much easier

With someone there

To take our hand

In gentle persuasion

Guiding without leading

To ease the pain

Of bleeding