Lindsay’s Birth-day!

you—a big floating head
coming across the room pell-mell
surrounded by a corona of blonde
sun face plastered with cockeyed grin
like you just don’t give a shit
about anybody’s hard time—
you were terrifying to my hard time
in your insatiable delight
and uncomplicated joy to be
because then I too had to grin
and I too took to reeling
a cross-eyed jig across sunny room
and into the yard
with its many animals and bugs and trees—

you are the center of my universe!