I'm the one your mother warned against;
"Beware she said "of slow-moving intimacy
and a handsome, intense look
something a young girl longs for."

"Beware," she said "of a man's talking about his dreams
cause you find yourself buying a ticket to the moon
on a space ship that don't exist.
Beware of dark handsome eyes
because they hypnotize
and make you go all melty inside.

"I didn't listen" she said "I married my Johnny Dangerous
but your father and I are the exception to all this.

"I'm the one your mother warns against" said Dad
"but you see she doesn't know what she is talking about."
But you won't listen just like she didn't will you?"

I hop the back fence just below your bedroom window
and stoop down low below the hedge and make our secret sound;
and you'll peer out from your upstairs cage
and pretend that the sound is a pretty bird
calling its mate.

I am the one your mother warned against
but we don't listen;
we won't listen will we?

My bird call is the call to the new;
to the promise of adventure;
of slipping the sleeves of boredom
and flying away from here--
because princesses and princes
have to establish their own kingdoms-
and that can't be done around here.

You slide that window up
a notch or two
and drop down your handkerchief
fluttering in the gloaming
and I know it is a sign;
a tiny sail billowing down
and I risk running from behind
my hedge hideaway
to retrieve it without being seen
by your mother at the kitchen sink
humming and singing.

I am only a shadow in the dusk-time
my heart focused only on that tiny white
sheet and dashing low.
I retreive it
scented of you
and retreat
while your mother thinks she saw something
from the corner of her eye
but isn't sure.
I hold the white sign high
to let you know it's found its home
with me.
I'm the one your mother warned against
but today I have the tiny sail
which I will raise high on the ship
we both will sail into life with.

I the one your mother warned against
and you didn't listen
just like she didn't.