Life is a state of mind,
where it belongs is
in the smell of pancakes and coffee.
Saying thank you in the shelter
of a tree
because it gave you something wonderful
in its shade.
For the handsomeness of fine houses
and their curtains,
women watching their children,
like the sea brushing scrolls
on the sand.
Holding the emptiness of silence
in your mind,
midnight on your shoulders,
a hospital room,
a grave’s uncertain promises,
and watching dandelions
creep into the garden
with no place to go.
Just a smile on their pretty faces
and which side of the tracks they’re on.