If I am young then let me be pliable,
Willing to learn, open
To the world and its rhythms
And your pain. If I am young then
Let me be conscious,
Seeing with open eyes the long inclines
(Toward justice, toward peace).
And let me be hard working,
Broad shouldered, a twist of sinew
So strong that the works of my hands
Will further our journey, a bit.
If I am young then let me
In, show me your scars, tell me
Why they walk your skin,
And why mine too are beautiful.
If I am young let me be heat
And motion and transformation and
Combustion for a tired movement,
Energy for a worn-out beat. If
I must be young then
Let me come to you, coquette
Or pet, sex or sadness, and be
Lithe with unused anger in your hands.
If I am young let me be quick
To close the gap, to state my intentions,
To make decisions with my body
And to trust you with my mind.