it wasn’t long
before you turned one
that you and
the silky blue dog
came up with your first
ingenious escape plan
in which you would
wriggle and writhe
your tiny ball of a body
into seated position
while your crumpled little friend
would keep watch
with his good plastic eye
on the darkened door
and the yellow light beyond
from there you would
scale the smooth wooden bars
with one wobbly hand
then the other
until you reached the top rail
and stood for the first time
over your pajama’d kingdom
of books and blankets and toys
basking in triumph and amazement
despite the muted laughter
and quiet tears
of the proud father in the hall