Thank you

Small child, 
Thank you for showing me the world through your eyes
For making it important to watch insects
For giving me many excuses to inspect 
Berries and bicycles and people passing by 
For finding entertaining bees or butterflies

Because we are never waiting 

We need no help to pass the time
With my hand in yours or yours in mine

Because with you I have a new 
excuse to sing 

It’s legitimate
To dance in the street 
To watch closely each others feet 

Splashing in puddles and rustling through leaves 
Laughing madly breathless and free 

I have every right when you are with me, 
To play with sticks, to scream a bit  
To look up at the sky
Count cars driving by

At ducks we quack back
At birds we tweet 
We don’t even try to be discreet 

In the morning sun we linger 
With shadow puppet fingers 
Hiding snacks for squirrels on the path 
And pulling faces that make us laugh 

You don’t talk yet and so I’m fluent 
In how to do all the talking while we play truant