A Fathers Treasure

She plays by the light of neon signs, hopscotch.
Bathed in light that with its steady flash freezes her for brief moments,
in time and space. The ice cream cone in her hand forgotten.
She is devoted to the squares before her. They hold the keys to her happiness.
Her smile burns bright in the shadows left by the absence of light.
You fear to tell her it is time to go home.
The light of her smile would fade
leaving you in darkness that no light could replace.
As you walk to the place where she plays you begin to speak.
“Time to go my angel”.
It comes, ...just the briefest of moments,
the fading of that amazing light.
“Okay daddy”
and the light strikes you full force once more.
The ice cream now remembered, as she reaches for your hand.
She is happy because she is with you. Happy because she is loved,
and she is happy because her world is no bigger than the span of your arms.
Nothing matters but her ice cream and your love.
Crickets sing their lullaby. You are serenaded, as the night wraps you in shadows.
She asks, “you can we do this tomorrow?”.
A smile crosses your face,
and by the light of neon signs you simply nod pick her up and carry her home.