The Big Bay Window

By Clara Blair

The big bay window looked down
On the brownstone-lined street
Whose trees led to the great park.

Polio and whooping cough
Had not yet been remanded
To history books and third-world countries
But stalked city streets and playgrounds,
Silently unseen.

And so I was kept safe - safe from sickness,
Safe from danger, safe from playmates. Even
Safe from the world of nature and wonder.
Always with grownups, learning to please
And to scorn the noise and games of the
Other children who were not kept so safe
From adventure, from friendship, from life.

Even inside the great park, under my
Grandmother's watchful eyes I felt as if I were
Still watching the world from the brownstone tower,
Waiting for permission to let my hair down,
Looking down from the big bay window.

© 2003 Clara Blair