Hip hip hip?

He glanced at the clock and saw it was quarter past one in the morning.

He picked up his phone to send her a text before she got the chance to chide him for not wishing her a happy birthday. He decided to go with the standard format: A “Happy Birthday” followed by one of those complex combination of alphabets that generally identified as a well-wishing shorthand; Not forgeting to throw in a larruping array of emojis in the mix.

He vaguely remembered her request however, weeks ago prior to this day.. a poem other than the usual texts.

He mused for a while and concluded that poems weren’t his strong suit. After several minutes, he read and re-read the lines that stared back at him:

A year is here again  

With it, a lot to gain

There’s more I’d like to say 

Than mere “Happy Birthday”

Close your eyes and make a wish

I want to rhyme so I’d just say fish

I pray you always remember to do good

Keep that on top of your head like duku

You wanted a poem, boo

Now look what you made me do

He sniggered at his attempt. “She’ll never ask me again.” With that, he hit the Send button and smiled himself to sleep.

*

*duku – head wrap

*image source: http://www.artsymodern.com/collections/birthday