Regarding a Co-Worker’s Kindergarten Report Card

The nun, you said,

bad-marked your report card

because you could not

answer why why why

God made her or you

or them or me.

All jowls and rules,

that woman. As if

the motives of God

were true-false, multiple

choice or kindergarten simple.

”So why did he?

I knew you would ask

and seem to remember penning

the answer somewhere:

the inside of my left wrist,

the toe of my right sneaker

or was it the cardback

of my spiral noebook?

I cannot locate the eternal

plan just now, but I did know.

I really must have.

Just look across my office.

See in the corner of the cluttered, trivial desk

that miracle of smirk playing itslf our

on my daughter’s kindergarten face.