Maria Famà
Daddy's Globe
To help us learn geography
our father bought an inflatable globe
blew up this plastic world
with his breath
green seas flowed
mountains rose
he secured the copper tubes
at the North and South Poles
onto the metal axis
placed our globe on its stand
then, Daddy spun the Earth for us
we learned to spot booted Italy
Sicily the football it kicked
our family’s home
we found England, France, Germany
where Daddy fought in the War
we found the USA with its many states
Canada above Mexico below
South America and Africa like puzzle pieces
Facing each other across the Atlantic
our father called out
China, India, Australia, Greece, Ireland, Russia,
Nigeria, Ethiopia, Argentina, Brazil
we found them all in bright colors
we found the oceans, too
sometimes when Daddy was at work
we unscrewed our planet from its axis
tossed it around like a beach ball
the world containing our father’s breath
in our playful hands.