I'll Turn Off the Lawnmower For You

A Poem

I’ll turn off the lawnmower for you

Not because it’s dangerous

Not because it’s starting to rain, or I’m tired, or the day is sliding into evening

and I’m having trouble seeing the grass

I’ll turn off the lawnmower for you because you get home and throw open the

gate to the back yard and sprint toward me, arms open

And I will always,

Always

Stop what I’m doing and get down on my creaky knees as you

throw yourself into my arms to say hello. Always

And in 30 seconds, you rapid fire tell me about your day, say hello, tell me what you ate

Then you’re gone to find your friends, leaving grass stains on the knees of my jeans

I get up, yank the cord and the lawnmower roars back into action and I push

Ready to drop it all again

should you come back. I hope you come back.