i've been protecting the child again
in my dreams
from the water
from the overflowing river
with the undercurrent
sucking at my toes
holding the little girl tight
little kitten clawing desperately
to my sweater

in the treehouse
where we couldn't stop the bomb
filling the air in dangerous caution
suffocation and she is slipping
on the bridge, skipping stones
with the undercurrent
sucking at my toes
i hold her tight

flowing to the other side
to see the distant dark dead man
floating on down the river
its awful, she screams,
and turns her head away
floating with the undercurrent
drifting on down the river

and they are waving
from across, skipping stones
with the undercurrent
sucking at my toes
brave the river,
hold her tight
and come back over