Less Traveled

We were in the woods
It was getting dark; you fell asleep on the ground at my side
Suddenly awoke and, with a shudder, croaked
«Mother, won’t you let me back inside?»
Little one, if I were in your shoes
I would take the road less traveled
Then again, if I were really you
Why would I be seeking counsel from me?
Don’t seek counsel from me
Triplets pitter-patter in pretty patterns
Stippling and spattering my empty mind
If you clear a path, it doesn’t matter where you wind up—
Who knows what you’ll find?
Myriad are the guiding voices if you take the road less traveled
But you’re the only one who can make those choices
So don’t take it from me
Why would you take anything from me?
There is a time and a place in your mind more perfect than this world will ever
be
You locked the door
Don’t live there anymore
But check both your pockets—maybe you still have the key
We built the walls— they were strong, overall— but now the barriers all start
to fade away
And damn, it feels good:
Something we understood a long time ago but forgot somewhere on the way