I remembered
that one week ago today
was your birthday

I remember
the twilight zone and late hours
and how you shielded my eyes
when the monsters were too scary
I wonder if you knew then
who the real monsters were

I remember
tipping down the street
on my new l'il sweet stuff bike
six years old and living in a dangerous world
but I still felt safer in your shadow

I remember
ten years old and confused
a little boy down the street
spitting rudeness at me
until you kindly reminded him
that he didn't want to mess with your little sister,
after all.
I think that day I must have glowed
in pride and quiet security

I remember
teenage years
my anger passed off as adolescent rage
but you captured a moment
in seclusion
to meet your eyes with mine and say
"I wish I could have taken you away"

I remembered your birthday
in silence
a thousand miles away
though a broken world keeps us
far and apart
I love you, deeply
with every breath of my heart

perhaps tonight
a moon of twilight hours
will whisper, and you will recall
how once upon a time,
in a little girl's world,
you were everything that mattered.