BIRTHDAY

spill out onto the dawn streets
humming / whistling 'like a daydream'
by ride
funny how some songs stay with you over the years
by artists who aren't necessarily on your a-list
today is may 16th
h's big day
though i won't be there to sing to her when she wakes up
or give her the bumps
4 years ago at dawn
h was lying in my arms
gulping down her first noisy breaths of oxygen
now look at her!
i'm otherwise engaged till mid-afternoon
but we'll have a little party later
invite a few of h's friends around
blow out some candles
before i leave the house
i draw a giant snail friend
on h's magnetic whiteboard
snail's speech bubble says
'happy birthday to you!'