FOR LUKA

MY GRANDSON


Three and a half,
approaching four,

little Luka thinks
the smallest thing

worthy of his
attention, be it

the airplane, way
up over his head

or a busy spider
on the bedroom

ceiling; be it
a baby lizard

slipping beneath
the flowerpot

or the color
of a dried leaf

falling from
the flowering

pear tree down
below the house.

The smallest thing
he deems worthy

of his attention,
the smallest thing

calls out to his
observant eye.

He's right, of course
to pay attention,

wiser and richer
far than so many

of us who so glibly
let these everyday

things escape us.
Which of course

is why little Luka
is still the bestest

and the brightest
teacher in the whole

wide world...