The Chat Behind the Door

I wasn’t crouching at the keyhole
Ear up against the glass
Honestly I wasn’t!
I was just sitting at the desk
Minding my business
But you can’t close your ears
Can you?
They’re always just open
Whether you want it or not
So I heard her talking
Saying I was “childlike”
And I sort of switched off
From whatever it was
That she said next
Me?
Childlike?
I’m fully grown up!
I pay my own way
I even pay taxes
I thought I was getting away with it
Eating at the grownups’ table
But she could somehow see
That I’m a little bird
That has broken out of the egg
I don’t really get it
I still believe in fairies
I still believe in magic
I still get upset whenever I lose
And it’s all a bit confusing
But at least I’m doing it
Fumbling my way through this grown up world
Shouldn’t that be congratulated
When I’m only thirteen?
When my hair’s going grey
And I even have a pension
Maybe she did congratulate it
But I sort of switched off
When I heard the word “childlike”
I wonder if one day
I’ll find my way
Back
To Never Neverland