Annette Marie Hyder

that big eater of happiness
swallowed you in one gulp
and flew away with you in its belly.
That big "now you see it, now you don't" prestidigitator
parlor-tricked you out of sight

but even worse
is that it didn't have me for dessert
or put me into the big black top hat of the sky
to be pulled out like a rabbit
by sleight of hand trick
to land me next to you —
the most beautiful bird ever
made out of a magician's white scarf.