sucker

the moist morning air

turned her cherry lollipop

into flypaper

now peppered with dust,

fragments of leaves, curly hairs,

and other such filth

she holds it like a

scepter, parting the masses

on our holy stroll

lesson learned

fun is zero sum,
he says.  last night was great, so
today's gotta suck.

mothers and daughters

the words fall out of
my mouth, rocks plopping heavy
into dark water.

they sink deeper and
and deeper, but we know they're
below the surface,

even when it's still.
she will never say these things
to me, i'm perfect.

but this is a wish,
not a promise.  someday the
tape will play again,

the rocks will plop and
the water will ripple, and
i'll have to listen.

pretend

Her hand creeps through the
window, a starfish inching
along the remains

of a sunken ship.
From behind the wall, I hear
her chitter-chatter,

melodic and hushed,

as she drifts off deeper and
deeper into play.

feed me seymour

there are two types of
toddler hunger -- that for food
and that for crackers

harmonica

with each draw and blow

her belly heaves -- she sways with
her music and smiles.

'where Mama earring ?'

she gingerly taps
my ear with a touch so soft
it makes my hair stand