By Invitation Only
Sept 1 2008


At first I thought it was gun-shots
cracking the darkness.
Until I heard the pinwheels
spinning-off,
and whiz-bangs
fizzing sparks.
Nothing to see,
but it all came to me in an instant —
people oohing and aahing, looking skyward.
A few small kids
flinching, hiding
behind mom’s steady legs.
And the teens,
too cool to be impressed.

The rest of us were already in bed
on this inconsequential week night.
But they were having the time of their life,
and could not imagine
depriving the world of fun.
Fireworks . . .
. . . hard drink, a sucker punch
I’ll bet.
What a party,
thought this uninvited guest.