by Kevin Nusser

Heaven lasts four minutes
the duration of hyperactivity
from the oxygen-deprived brain
this is my four-minute stroll

It opens with me beside the bathtub
washing Sarah’s hair, she is 6 years old
I’ve used too much shampoo to get extra bubbles
and they are running down the wall above Sarah’s hand

“Ah, little buggy, it looks like snow” I say as the bubbles creep down
“Oh no it doesn’t” she says and her hand jumps around dancing
until the bubbles cover her hand/little buggy
“Oh no! I’m blind!” little buggy yells, we are both laughing

Now I’m 10, my brothers and I have socks on our hands
because we’re playing Rock’em Sock’em robots
the socks slow the blisters forming on our hands

I’m back to being 47
Dad and I are floating down the Santiam
I’m 45, Mom and me are celebrating
our birthdays at a Spirit Mountain buffet

I’m in Hawaii on a beach at Waimanalo with Susan
after I proposed and she said yes
she takes a photo of me splashing around in the water
with just my bare butt showing, I’m a great white

I’m 14 and sitting beside Grandpa Kasper in church
listening to his monotone singing
I’m 28 and have my nose stuck to Grandma May’s window
I can see her sitting in her easy chair smiling
I’m 13 and eating a big breakfast at Grandma Marian’s house
Grandpa Harold is talking about the “God-Damned Government”

I’m 28 and flying over LA with Ed, my father-in-law
Susan is sitting beside me grinning
I’m 45 and body diving with Sarah in Molokai
Joanne and Susan are waving at us from the beach

Susan and I are driving from LA to State College on our honeymoon
we’re taking turns reading “The Stand” and camping
we stopped at Jeff’s house and I’m teaching Drew to burp

I’m 47 eating at the cheesecake factory for mom and dad’s 50th
Doug and his family is there, someone pulling painfully on my mustache

I’m 24 and am driving my Harley Davidson along the gorge
and I am laughing cause I just killed a robin with my head
I’m 23, I’ve just jumped out of an airplane
and I am yelling for the parachute to open, it does and it is so silent

I’m 41 and on a camping trip with Sarah and Susan
a storm wind picks the tent up before I had a chance to hammer it down
Sarah is inside laughing as the tent is picked up and falls on its side

The last image is when I’m 33
Susan and I just got home with baby Sarah
there is a sudden downpour outside
the rain is so loud as it comes down in waves

Now it is silent

I am at peace