: bugs and birds

we give our time away like
little trinkets, of soap, of sand
a bracelet and a bookshelf, a silly joke, a bicycle spoke -

often attached to pennies, lightly tossed
into the middle of that fountain, in the middle of that pond, in the middle of that park
in that city you hope to visit one day.

we laugh like it costs under a dollar
but still adds up
over time.

when you wait for it, it always takes longer
surprise! look how long your hair grew while we were dormant
yes, we had it, so much and so good.

sometimes the sun is just big enough for one thumb
sometimes maybe two
but never none.