Brave Little Heart

Tiny socks on the hospital chair

Cartoon car on his T‑shirt there

He asks

“Daddy

Why you staring like that?”

I say

“Buddy

I just like your hair” (yeah)

Brave little heart in a too-big bed

Tubes and tape where toys should sit instead

If I could trade places

You know I would start

But you still smile

My brave little heart

Plastic cup with his name in blue

Sticker crown like a king on cue

He says

“When we go home

Can we still build that fort?”

I say

“Yeah

We’ll make it bigger than the moon”

Brave little heart in a too-big bed

Tubes and tape where toys should sit instead

If I could trade places

You know I would start

But you still smile

My brave little heart

I count the drips

He counts the stars

Draws a rocket ship

Over all these scars

I’m falling apart

He’s making me art (oh)

Brave little heart in a too-big bed

Hope on the wall where the pictures hang crooked

If I could take every shadow

I’d tear it apart

Till all that’s left

Is my brave little heart

So sleep

My boy

I’ll stand guard in the dark

Till the sun comes back

For my brave little heart