Why I Take The Bus

She's always in the back 

my daughter 

strapped safely in 

the car seat 

asleep or making up 

sign language 

with her chubby fingers 

the ones I used to 

nibble so she'd giggle 

my daughter 

who will never turn 

older than three 

asleep and dreaming 

in the back seat 

where the sun isn't scorching 

where no one's left her 

and she isn't locked 

inside a car 

in the back seat 

just like that