Non-binary, my daughter said to me,
reporting on her first-born’s recent speech.
They want the neuter plural pronoun – he
or she will hurt their feelings. Now I reach
for comprehension while I try to frame
my sentences so noun and verb agree.
It’s harder than adjusting to the name
they chose, but love holds flexibility.

I heard and watched and puzzled for a while,
and after weeks I asked the Internet
the meaning. Then I surveyed with a smile
the symptoms of myself – I own them yet.
When I was young subreddits didn’t play –
I thought I was alone until today.