YOUNG BOY AT THE COFFEE SHOP

is down on his knees hand braced against the counter
ear lowered nearly to the ground as he peers into dusty darkness
searching the hardwood slats for a penny that has rolled away
balanced perfectly on its smooth edge.

I like to believe there is a heaven for this
not for all things lost
but for this: the will to explore the entire world
with undying generosity for everything in it
the way this boy on knees that will hold the deep impressions
of knots and the heads of nails long after he has given up
will walk out the door into a summer sun so bright it blinds him
will halt in his tracks with his hand above his head palm out against the sky
will reach out to capture the light in his fist and believe it done
even with the sun still above him
with the penny still somewhere out of reach
but still there where he left it
always unrecovered.