Rule Breaker

Last night the dream was children and books
making it much like the rest of the day.
Except for one little girl
in a white cotton dress, printed with pink roses,
who cried and cried
because she broke the rules.
She sobbed into my damp shoulder
as I knelt beside her trying
to bend myself to her height.
I kept my voice calm,
patting her back, murmuring nonsense
while the fury in me built.
Me, Queen of Following Rules,
wished them to be tangible
so I could do them harm
wished I could push them
down the steep wooden stairs
for making her so sad.