I vowed to write this poem before
allowing myself a nap in the middle

seat squozen between my wife and
an inattentive father seated just

behind his daughter who may as well
have been left at Disneyworld where

princesses stand guard behind topiaries
and garbage cans and other princesses

to emerge in case of indifference
to curtsy and wave and wink

at this little girl peeking between
the seats to make damn sure she

is seen and known and loved which
is usually my job but

I had a poem to write, and a nap to take.