Do You Remember?

Remember when we were young?

When mom and dad would tuck us in?

And read us a bed time story?

They’d check under the bed for monsters,

And come running when we cried out at night.

Do you remember them saying,

“Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

And how they would plug in our night-lights?

Remember when we were young?

When mom and dad would kiss our skinned knees,

And our bruised elbows?

When they would buy us ice cream when we were sad?

They’d let us stay home from school,

If we said we didn’t feel like going.

Do you remember them coddling us,

When we were sick,

Knowing our misery?

Remember when our parents protected our innocence?

Sent us inside when dirty jokes were made.

Covered our ears when they cussed?

Covering our eyes in a movie when it started getting steamy?

They said no child needs to know that.

They saw our innocence and loved it dearly,

Going through any means to make it last.

Do you remember them protecting our innocence,

No matter what anyone said,

Because it meant that much to them?

Do you remember growing up?

When they began scolding telling you to stop crying.

When they stopped kissing the hurt,

and holding us in their warm embrace.

When we "were big kids" and needed to become independent.

When they threw away all our toys because we were "too old"?

Do you remember growing up,

When you were thrown to the wolves,

And innocence wasn't a thing anymore?

I don't.