Four Years Old

[Magpie]

Hi Lizzie,

I've read through your poem a couple of times and I've read through the last stanza—in many ways the most poignant—many times and for the moment that is the part of the poem that I'll comment on.

My brother would go away — Don't think you need 'away' it doesn't seem to add anything
each day to school and my mom — If you were to lose 'away' then it would probably read better with 'to school' swapped with 'each day'
would do dishes in silence. — This is a very strong image
She was an inaccessibility, — This for me spoils what is either side of it. The image of doing dishes in silence already leads us towards thinking that 'She was an inaccessibility'. I think to end on another strong image without having to say 'inaccessibility' would make for a stronger poem.
a tree whose leaves were green
only at the very top. — The image here is interesting but could be puzzling, it reads as if the tree is full of leaves but they are only green at the top. I don't know if that was your intention or was it that the tree is bare except for the very top. Also I'm wondering whether this metaphor works at portraying 'inaccessibility'. There are other images that could perhaps express it better. The tree image might work if it only had fruit at the very top. 
Just now when I looked up 'inaccessible' in my dictionary one of the things it came up with was an eyrie or aerie—an eagle's nest

Just a couple of thoughts, thanks for sharing,

Mark