This bear of a man
wants custody of me and our child
No more dates holding hands walking together
along the river in the Metro Parks
on top of fallen tree trunks the diameter of my car
Our cub in a stoller walks the paths too
Cooing and laughing at the leaves
startled by birds, she cries out
amazed by everything she sees
Soon she will run with us in the woods
to the roots, through the sand
to peer at the river glass
reflections, smooth edges and wonder
