When he came in and I leapt out from

behind the door, my joyous Boo!

tumbling around the room,

he spun so quickly, crouched

so smoothly, and punched the air so

powerfully Boo never had a chance,

its double O stopped so suddenly two

became one. Spin, crouch, punch—

for five seconds, six, muscle flowing

into muscle. Spin, crouch, punch—

like water around and under rocks.

Then muscles easing, body flexing

back to normal. Goddamn it, boy!

It wasn’t a waltz and it wasn’t a tango,

but oh my god, how my father danced.