[Saoirse, my fearless and brilliant little one, always teaching me.]

Listen and Learn I swung her around to my back clasp my hands together beneath her little bottom squatted, grabbed the dog leash turned toward home her little cartoon chatter skipped from colors and mountains I like to ride piggy back and trees, rocks, funny puppy big truck, listen to the water where is momma? and next time I’ll travel with her on the airplane —somewhere between it all — she said: I see a big fat moose my mind scrolled back through her rambling and struck on: Big Fat. I didn’t like her saying that. Wondered where she heard such an insensitive phrase I was ready for the talk with her brother “Where did you hear that?” I asked right there! her little arm shot out a pointing finger then movement in the alders half again the length of the dog leash away uncomfortably close a big fat moose