Rainbow Stickers

My four-year-old delights
in using stickers the minute she gets them.
As fast as she can peel off the backing
she is dabbing stickers on my forehead, cheeks, hair,
T-shirt… She does this for herself, Grampy,
anyone who’ll accept her adhesive
gifts until they’re gone
and she’s off to scramble pretend eggs.

My seven-year-old keeps
her stickers on the sheet,
in a drawer in a special box.
She counts them, freaks if she
doesn’t have as many as her sister.
but won’t use them. Not on her school folder
or her diary or her bike helmet.

I was that way; I understand.
But inside I am screaming,
Just open the fucking stickers!