Oh, my kid wonder

She’ll work herself into a frenzy

pacing back and forth like that

Tension between

her brows

The stream of worry

floating behind her eyes

Don’t you fret, kid wonder

You are so much more than

a flimsy score

Seeing you brave the spotlight,

putting on a show

for the all-knowing judges

is more than enough to

leave me swelling with pride

My kid wonder

You have already made it

so far

But do not forget

What it is all for

Does a necklace weighed with

gold

mean more to you than

the joyous freedom

of childhood?

It is okay to let go

and be a kid,

kid wonder

Champion or not,

you are still

enough

I tell her this as she warms up

for her performance

She smiles

And my sweet girl

does what she does best

A salute to the judges

A ceremony and a celebration

She runs to me

and talks off her relief

I let her ramble

Because she is my kid wonder

and it is good to hear her laugh

once more

Proud of you, kid

No matter what

Always and forever