I lit the fuse with love
first seeing just a picture of them
before they ever crossed my front steps
inside my front door
and inside my heart
it happened before I even saw their faces for real
Then
kisses in the evening while they slept in their beds
before leaving for the midnight shift
kisses in the morning when I arrived home
the two of you
giggling when I came through the door
knowing what was coming
a hug
a tickle
a scream of laughter
as she yelled at me for messing up her school readiness routine
Two fuses
Fire in each hand
Watching the first sparks ignite
And then sail away
Brightly
Like a cruise ship leaving the Caribbean port in the dusk
Upon once daylight sunlit coral waters
The track
Purposely and circularly set
To return to me
No time table
And I waited patiently
Sitting there one Sunday
Hearing soft footsteps behind me as I was watching football on TV
The oversized recliner fit all three of us
A peek from around the corner
One
Then the other
Climbing the mountain of my recliner
With a little help
Curling next to me
I could see the sparkles of dymomite about to detonate
within inches of both sides of my heart
From the east and the west
“Is it ok
If we can call you
Daddy
From now on?”
Boom…