Parenthood

Travis Noonan

Poetry – Third Place

When my children ask how to

ward off terrors brought on

by darkness, I wilt suggest

sleeping with two pillows:

one under the head and

the other wrapped tightly

in their arms.

“Treat the latter like

a future lover.

Tell it all of the things

your mother’d never hear.”

The hard questions will

be easy, for I still pound

“why?” into the heads

and eardrums of

those around me.

If the subject of Immortality

is ever raised I will quote

an old friend.

“Think of everything

we could learn!”