Graduate
her in her
red footie pajamas
stomping around
Thing 1 and Thing 2
her with the hose
watering everything but the flowers
her in the shower watching the water
f
a
l
l
her with her laughter
her with her tears
her with her arms
and she’s holding me
too tight
not tight enough
and we’re crunching Doritos
sipping ginger ale
pretending we can fly
and she’s wild
and wonderful
and way too smart
to be hanging out with me
this little girl next door
who stayed in the country
waving me down
begging me not to move to town
and I thought about this
as she sat there
tables away
brink of 18
‘bout to walk
out into the world
and I’m waving her down
but she’s already gone
and grown up
her in her heels
cap and gown
TL