The Big Egg is an actual place
we walk in the back door
three people working the counter

as we walk by turn to us
one
may as well be

a searchlight
of a smile
stops us

open mouthed mid thought
awareness sheered through
warmer to melting

smiles leap back across the gap
and words
and she leads us to our table

via a path
through her universe
seated we look at each other

like we found candy
good candy
and mom smiled okay

*** what a
wholebody smile
this skinny girl

says "your waitress
will be right with you"
like james earl jones

would if his voice was that of
a 7 year old
choir boy

I say "thanks"
to this presence
ask

"what's your name"
she says
"I'm Destiny"

joy makes me laugh
i'm laughing
"of course you are"

i introduce my gal friend
and i
to Destiny

Destiny excuses herself
to seat other
patrons

As poets presence
ought to be
ours

to cobble
smear, bleed and
fashion deftly

not this child
like a fireworks sign
spelling happy

showering sparks
light into our hearts
that ignite there

30 years our junior
this lesson
laughs in us

and we laugh
at our own constant
machinations

for getting whole
now giggling silly
in this light

I have to know
so i can tell You
right

I wave here over
I say
I have to ask

"Are you naturally
this happy or
did you learn?"

"i had to learn it
i
grew up in the system

i was raised by
well
by foster grandparents"

I can hear the universe
rolling on the floor
laughing everywhere