~
The Best or the Most?

individually, he whisks them away
to his favorite hidey hole,
under their parents dining room table,
the very same,
he did hid with
their father

clutching the first,
in a ritual now sacred in perpetuity,
pressed to his breast,
amidst the grande pitter-patter
of a grandpater's
imitation of a mad hatter,
the old man whispers in the first one's ear:

remember to keep our secret,
tell no one ever,
not even nana,
I love you best!

off they go

then isolating the second,
sweeping him up from behind,
poppy,
reverts again to his ancient hiding place,
amidst a gaggle of mutual giggles
where, neath the cool shade of the moon tablecloth,
he whispers to number two:

remember to keep our secret,
tell no one ever,
not even nana,
I love you most!

with perfect total no-recall,
not even five minutes later,
does the old man retain
the knowledge,
to whom did he say
which refrain,
to whom did he say what?

but he winks!

yes, he winks to himself,
secure in the knowing safety,
it matters not, not even an itty bitty
as long as
they remember,
and keep his secrets safe