this afternoon i drove away
for the longest time
and as the pavement unraveled
my necessary eyes clicked onto trees
spread thinly across tops of hills;
i wished to pick each one from the distant ground
to place in my dreams, where
driveways are long
and little children ride bicycles without fear;
where mothers button thick coats to check the mail
and the sun makes the wet grass grow.

[my necessary mouth speaks into
a telephone with a cord
and on the other side of the screen
a face pauses -
yes, it is here.]

a child stares at her mother's hand
as it turns the faucet to Warm.
momma i made all A's
and i know i shall be happy.

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