A child keeps no secrets
From her parents
Not because she
Feels comfortable confiding
With those busy adults
Who managed to find time to
Bless the world with her existence
She tells them everything she knows,
Everything she has done,
The extra chocolate or cookie she ate
The day she forgot her math homework
She tells these to her parents
Because she feels it's her duty
Because she's afraid and thinks
Telling them is better than
Them finding out
She leaves childhood and is now
In the world between childhood and
Adulthood
The time of growing up
Where bruises are no longer of skin
But heart
Theft is not of pretty pencil or eraser
But love
Where lies are not about having an extra cookie
But who did what and with whom
And she learns the art of
Keeping secrets
From them,
The parents who are suddenly finding time to
Watch carefully
Observe her every move, every word
And she hides away stories about those
Kisses, cigarettes and booze
She doesn't tells them where she's been
Dates are shrugged off as
'Hanging out with friends'
So no one panics, scolds or punishes
And forces her to
Skip the stage of growing up
Where mistakes are made
New things are discovered
Explorations and experiments are enjoyed
And secrets are kept
Finally, a grownup
She sees the world in a new light
She loves less fiercely, maybe
But much more deeply
She feels a billion emotions
But has them under control
She now goes back to habit of childhood
And shares with her parents
Her life,
No more are secrets kept
That skill learnt while growing up
Not forgotten, but put away for the time being
And she confides with them
Not out of fear
Or obligation
But because
She wants someone to listen and who could understand better
Than a parent?
She looks at her own gift to the world
A little boy, in that age where no
Secrets are kept
A boy who runs to her crying,
Saying he broke her favorite mug
And would she forgive him
And now, that skill acquired
When growing up
It comes to the surface again
Dusted and put into use again
For now,
Secrets are kept
Not to hurt or decieve
But to keep safe,
Her children,
Her innocent, naive children,
From the evils and cruel ways of life
From the mistakes she has made
From the world in between
Childhood and adulthood
When secrets are kept by the one growing up
And the adult, parent
