Because the road to the daycare goes east,

on spring mornings we drive towards the sun

along a corridor of flowering dogwoods,

and it may be the illuminated white petals,

the second coffee I had before we left,

or Pink doing a Steve Miller song, the one

from Happy Feet that made me realize

she has a great voice, but suddenly I’m close

to tears.  I have to lock my elbows to keep

the van on the road.  Then I start laughing

because of how difficult it would be to explain

I drove into a tree after being overwhelmed

by the enigmatic beauty of this world. 

From the backseat, my son asks, “Daddy,

What’s wrong?” and when I say, “Nothing,

I’m just happy,” he claps, “I’m happy too!”

From Love and Other Collisions (Press 53, 2010).
Used with the author's permission.