The previous poem was for my daughter. I don’t know if my son will like this one because it doesn’t rhyme (“Lil Wayne and Drake’s stuff rhymes, Mom”), but I hope it’ll do.
CROSS-COUNTRY
While we ran errands, I thought it was morning
but two-year-old you swore it was afternoon.
I learned then not to argue,
not when you said,
“I blow bubbles all the way to the moon,”
even though you blew them straight at the sun.
An ordinary backyard stick in your hands
became Stick The Great,
brandished at miles of unnamed villains
You ran down the hill and up,
all the way to school and back. Two miles —
every single day.
A crow swooped down and stole your brand-new glasses.
I said to give up, but you gave chase.
The crow returned your treasure.
Contacts now.
On moonlit nights you run down the road and up
When I come back from running errands I say, “Good morning.”
It’s already afternoon.
