so engrossed with
making sure that we
toe the
line,
keep our souls
spotless,
learn every jot
and tittle of the
rules,
before sending us
off to bed without a
snack,
the babysitter
never notices
you
sneaking into our
rooms, and
with a shushing finger
to your lips,
tiptoe us out
into the firefly-spackled
evening
where we twirl and
twirl in circles until
collapsing in the dew,
watching the dawn
color the morning sky.
(c) Thom M. Shuman
Venmo: @Thom-Shuman
