Dad took the 90-mile trip to Nashville
with his factory colleagues, a patternmaker
& compliance officer, leaving mom
alone for 24 hours. After polishing
her nails apricot & ratting
her hair an extra inch, she’d jump
in the Mercury & drive one-town
over to Junction City, shop for small
items she could tuck away from his
sight—blue rhinestone broach,
paisley neck scarf, maybe thigh high
nylons with a snap garter.
She’d treat herself to a hot dog
& chocolate Dairy Dip. So much 
 
can happen in a day. Google says my heart
will beat 104,000 times & in London, 93,000 rats
will be born. My neighbor, kudzu, the green creeping 
vine, spreads an entire foot in a day.
Climate change makes it easier for it
to advance & engulf. Sperm can wait a day
to pierce an ovulated egg. A day is long enough
for a magnificent interlude. Bees can visit 
5,000 flowers & ritualistically execute
the Waggle Dance, where they direct
others to endless flower patches. 
Successfully sucked nectar!
Mayflies hatch by the millions & die in less
than 24-hours. As it emerges from a nymph,
an adult mayfly lacks a mouth & can’t eat.
It only lives a few hours. Never downplay
the importance of wings spreading
in the afternoon sun,
the power of flying away.