She swears by the River Styx because 
she’s nine and takes her oaths seriously.

Her favorite goddess is Athena, 
though she didn’t get how Zeus 

could swallow Metis whole like that, 
so I explained that he tricked her 

into becoming a fly, 
whereupon he turned into a lizard 

and snapped her up with his sticky tongue.
What she wants is a world without cruelty 

or lies, where girls can play basketball 
and read books about dragons.

She can enumerate and describe 
their various tribes, their social structures, 

their conflicts and wars.
When it comes to movies, she likes 

the ones with magic, 
and enjoys TV shows like Doctor Who. 

She has a little sister and a secret sister.
She’s partial to graphs and chemistry.

If she had her way, there’d be no cheese,
but she would eat watermelon at every meal.
                        

To make a hundred people laugh,
open a can with just my fingertips,
wear clothing that shines in the dark.
I want to ride a bicycle all the way 
from Pittsfield to my cousin’s house 
in Richmond Hill.
I want to eat a stew so filling, 
I won’t be hungry for a week, 
except for Key Lime Pie.
I want to wake up before the sun 
and run for miles on a dark highway.
I want to take a bath in gold coins,
pull a wad of hundreds 
from my back pocket, peel off six 
for something I don’t need. 
I want to dig a hole big enough 
to scare my neighbors.
When the sun goes down, I want 
to sing the dogs to sleep. I want cats 
to follow me down to the pond.
I want to sleep through the night 
and wake up full of joy.
I want to learn to play the flute, 
the drums, the violin.
I want to juggle chainsaws 
and flaming swords.
Just once at a wedding, I want to see 
someone object, then forever hold their peace.