Staircase of my name

 I climb this wooden staircase
The empty spaces between the slats of wood
Call my name, with each step up I look between
and hear the voice say -up one further

When I feel the slat under me
Shaky and unstable
I transition my weight to the next slat
Hearing calling far below

Like ghost parents
shouting toward a baby at risk
I was that baby
Not big enough to get to the top

Not small enough to fall through the slat
Just big enough to hear the subtle applause
As I go from one slat to the next
each one creaking my name