I Believe (for Charlotte)

I believe the end of the world
will not be one year and one month from today
despite what the Mayans might have said

and

I believe that global warming
may destroy all hopes that my children's
children will one day
see a polar bear

and

I believe that, if I wanted to,
I could be famous or rich -
but probably not both

and

I believe in the Tooth Fairy,
Yeti, and Loch Ness monster,
because my daydreams would ring
so false without them

and

I believe I once believed in God
the same way I once believed a sidewalk
crack could break my mother's back,
the same way I now believe in blackberries,
chair-backs, other such useful things

and

I believe that neighbors have lost all trace
of neighborliness
and that I dream of one day bringing cookies
to all the houses closest mine,
just because

and

I believe that one body cannot love
and hate itself in equal proportion
for long
(and I hope love wins out)

and

I believe skyscrapers
and that they make me oh so small

and

I believe in warmth
that blossoms from within,
even when winter blows away my gloves

and

I believe in all this slightly less
than I believe in the memory of your flannels
your whitewater laugh
that still wakes
me from dreams.