Floodplane 1 | Page 13

To My Brother Ian Who Lives on the Autism Spectrum--

iii. Mythological Creature

by Joan Goodreau

From my bed I leap

upon my brother

for piggy back rides.

Giddyup I command and off

we trot around the house

a two headed humped beast with

four legs and arms

and two hearts

one of top of the other

beating together.

Twice as big

twice as scary

as I am by myself

we patrol the house

to keep the bad guys out

so nothing more,

like our mother says,

can happen to us.