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.