She was born into a warzone
burned out and bombs dropped daily
but she never complained
when we stepped over shrapnel to play in the dirt and leaves

i held onto her when the missiles came in
they blew past my ears
scratching the surface and burying themselves at my feet
turning to bruises i smoothed behind my ears like locks of hair

we walked like soldiers on eggshells
cautious at all the wrong times, we never got it right
she grabbed my neck and i sang her to sleep
teeth gritted, but i saw her through