Joy Song

Joy Song

In the backyard,

the squirrels play tag and paddy-cake.

And there's a spider in a top hat doing magic tricks,

flying around like David Copperfield,

and I can't see any strings attached,

but when he swings up through green branches,

my eyes spy three hot air balloons depicting aquarium scenes-

triggers and clowns swimming between corals and sponges,

in tropical blue fishbowls passing through a concrete sky,

passing before the white morning sun smeared in a plowed cloud field,

all framed by oak leaves.

Our vibrant world,

has better color than a 60 inch plasma screen in Best Buy,

surround sound plays nothing but bird songs,

over the ambient roar of cars and trucks rushing on a distant highway.

If I close my eyes,

the mechanical roar sounds like ocean waves crashing-

I can almost smell salt on the cold wind.

Whistle with the birds and start the lawnmower,

it coughs nebulous clouds of dust-star snowflakes,

and as the mower and I walk polygons down to final polygons,

cowbirds chase us through the terrified grass,

brown-headed cowbirds dine on startled beetles and worms,

the mower wishes successfully on a dandelion patch as we blow by;

I don't know what he wished for,

but I hear a song I've never noticed

buzzing in the background,

louder than mower and highway and my muttered thoughts,

I can hear the world overflow with joy,

the flowers and the trees weep with laughter,

and the birds call,

"Joy!"

"Joy to be alive!"

The crickets scratch,

"Joy!"

"Joy to be alive!"

Jell-O-mold swingsets sway,

"Joy to be alive!"

And I cry,

Joy!

Joy to be alive!