Sun in my eye
as I try
to catch a happy toddler,
my son,
jumping into the cold water
I’m in.
He doesn’t know how to swim, but
he loves the water.
He jumps into the pool bravely
once, twice, thrice,
and many more times.
Sun on my shoulders
as I stand behind him.
My shadow becomes the shade
he plays in
for a while.
The rays of the hot summer sun
sting my shoulders.
I feel the burn,
but
I don’t mind it.
I look up, and my eyes meet
his mother’s eyes,
my wife,
my lovely, lovely wife.
She’s over there
on a chaise longue by the pool.
I smile, and I nod,
which means she can sunbathe
for a little while longer,
just a little while longer,
until our son starts looking for her.
I close my eyes for a second and
try to register our day at the pool
in my mind.
I want this to be
a memory I come back to.
I take a sip of warm beer.
I’m happy.