Mama said
it only existed in storybooks
with its soft surface
of bluebells
but there it was
spinning so close to the earth
that it bent
every weather vane in Omaha
it was prom night
and I thought I’ d pluck a few
trumpets
to bring your Grandma
so I pulled our red ladder out
of the garage
and climbed to the roof
I stood up
and imagined I was balancing
the moon on my head
the narrow windows of Union
Station
gleamed like ice chips
and the thin faces of the clock
tower told me
it was almost eight
I was going to be late picking
Nancy up
if I didn’ t get a move on
so I snipped off the best stems
and hurried
back down to my Ford
I sped through every stop sign
on my way
to her parents’ house
she was waiting with her arms
crossed
trying not to look upset
I think she thought
she was going to get stood up
so when I popped open
the door
and told her to get in
she couldn’ t help smiling a bit
she asked
what’ d taken me so long
and I figured I should go ahead
and give her the flowers
I’ d brought her
I’ d set them
back behind the steering wheel
to not ruin the surprise
I told her she was the princess
and I was the knight
who rode into the stars
so he could flare
their notes to her on a blue horn