today my daddy bought me
a soft red panda
with a striped tail
and fuzzy eyebrows
from the zoo
he took me to.
he said
"this would be you, Red
if you were an animal.
aren't you cute?"

i smiled so much today
and felt so happy
(like a glass full of sunshine)
i forgot to be afraid
of everything.
i didn't even realize
that i felt alright
until
after
in the car
the red panda in my lap.

i am twenty years old
but i still love the zoo
i love even more that you knew
just what i needed
to be ok, dad