Daring Joy

Alarmed at my joy 
you were, 
because you couldn't 
control it.  
And so the practice of joy 
became furtive -- 
wild giggles smothered, 
humor barely stretching 
its legs.  
If only I'd known 
then 
how to laugh as I do 
now -- 
I would have laughed 
so hard and so long, 
your face would have had to 
crack 
into a 
smile.