HOW TO COUNT TO OVER FOUR...HUNDRED BILLION!
( for Maureen )


she makes
a nest
in my lap


with Teddy,
her blue blanket
a twig and a stone she adopts

the twig is
her newest
bestest friend


she watches
THE KING AND I
from this eyrie


thumb in mouth
she
soaks it all up


the world
decanted
into music


later
as I kiss her
goodnight


stars cluster
about her
bedroom window


"How many
stars are there?"
she enquires


"Oh, I don't know...over
400 billion I
...suppose!"

she starts to count
what she can see
reaches ten and then


begins again
ten is all
she can count


then sleepy she
whispers
"etc., etc., etc.!"  


*

So my little one watches THE KING AND I..and who does she want to be? Why Yul of course. She goes around with her bathing cap on to mimic his baldness and with her hands disdainfully on her hips saying "etc., etc., etc.!" She also is under the belief that "etc., etc., etc.!" is some form of number and can be used when you can only count to ten and you need to count countless stars.