Start with the personal pronouns:
You, me, I.
Then take the verb to be.
This is an aviary.
Perhaps I could teach you to sew
instead. We could string the alphabet
onto your shoelaces. A blurry whirl
of magnetic letters: blue, green, red.
I know how to wend
my way through the forsythia.
I know the beauty
of blather, wisp, mandible.
I don’t need to talk.
Take my tongue, root and all.
Place it under your pillow
where the tooth fairy
might exchange our dilemma
for a shiny coin.
You’ll awaken to say,
Momma, look at my dime.