not for long

you over there,
beneath the coniferous
canopies of Missouri,
soaking up silence,
in the midst of a shift,

a spoken subtlety

grooms this puppy
for rescue mission,

untangling hair,

effortless & effervescent,
drinking coffee
resplendently,

turning away from

one who could not

even afford oil, or pay
the easy price

of wanting you
happy, I am boiling
in the wings,
unperturbed, confident,
won't dare to disrupt 

the chrysalis, window
shopping far outside
of my price range,

keeping hand stuffed

in a pocket until you reach
for it again, sniffling,
thinking of all the times
I said I would eat your snot,
and it's not just me
being funny, it's that 

your boogers are the best
I've ever tasted,

and the inflection
of your voice when you
say front, or soup,

why, half the alphabet 

sounds cute comin' from you,

so your words aren't ever 

wasted, your efforts not 

unnoticed, for as long 

as you are near me
it is impossible to quit 

lifting you up, so hear 

me out, this mess we're in
ain't so bad, all it takes 

are a couple moves, 

then, if it pleases you,

I am around whenever
you want, disappearing
when you say.