jojo

she races up to me
and crashes into my leg
where she'll be stuck awhile.

her pupils dilate in recognition.

you're my favorite.
i could take you home,
adopt you,
make you a princess.

we play board games,
color,
we're loud.
you're silly.
no, you're silly.

anything to keep her attention
and hopefully
numb the hurt of mommy
no-showing
again.

i like your purple dress.
you're a good girl.
can you sing your ABC's?

I throw everything i learned
in college out the window.
the philosophy
the parabolas
and everything else
smart and bogus.

because she is the world now.