Little sister

Her hair curls in ringlets of sun

Shining bright from her head 

She lights up the home

Gaps highlight her sweet smile

Like army soldiers late to roll call

Missing Incisors leave her with a slur

And at night she waits

for a fairy to trade tired teeth for money

The weight of life stalks behind her

But she’s too fast to catch

She wins every race

And every game

Yet as her sun begins to frizz

And the army soldiers grow into formation

I pray she never stops running

And once life begins the pounce

May she outrun it once and for all