Babushka

It was a slightly sheilded moment
I gasped gently
and thought you sounded a little reserved
though I could’ve forgven anything at that point
I saw the meaning in it
and was touched

So I let you borrow my pride of the thing
as you would a pen
and hold onto it until you could show the others
what had been done

I smiled a half smile
I knew you wouldn’t understand
this was bitter
and very sweet
I opened my palm
and handed you my innermost babushka
trusting it to you as I had none other
never having gotten this small before
nor as inside myself
under so many skins