what I did not expect to find
once I was tall enough to reach the top shelf
is that life would mostly be about
making myself smaller

I take my biggest feelings
I cut off their feet so they can't seek you out
I cut off their hands so they can't build things they shouldn't

I stuff paper in their mouths so they can't sing in voices of their own
and I make them small
scrunch them into little boxes
sealed up tight

I put the boxes on the shelf I am now tall enough to reach
and I think
I didn't know that's what I would keep up here
nearest the sky