Newport Aquarium
by Michael Doyle

As though a knight eager on his quest
I, as a father, find little need to rest
Instead, I eagerly undertake a two-hour drive
Glad to teach my daughters and feel alive

Though I wish I could take them to the shore
Where perhaps it is true that they'd learn more
I think a thing or two is observed through the glass
And that life, as it is, is an enjoyable class

Some of these lessons can be learned in museums
Others, though are in the enjoyment of the aquarium
Watching my daughters joke and laugh together
As they accidentally learn, it cannot be had better

Than in the gentle traces of the Newport Aquarium
They learn more than they would at lifeless museums
And the best of what they learn is that they share
In common between themselves and all for which they care

Two hours there and then another two hours back
While I'm alive, there is nothing for which they'll lack
And it is worth it as I am paid by their beautiful smiles
All the time and distances are worth their miles

I encourage each of my daughters in all that they see
And through jokes and love, teach them of their possibility
Following wherever their imaginations might lead
It is their imaginations that are quietly allowed freed

Though maybe the ocean would be my best-favored preference
Places like aquariums and nature reserves offer experiences
That maybe would not be felt or had in places others shared
And maybe most important is that they'll know how much I cared

At closing time, though, the lights might begin dimming
There is still more to learn as they watch the fish swimming
The oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and quiet, distant streams
Offer a world of beauty, diversity, and the very best dreams

Maybe there's a shared joke about the value of keeping swimming
However challenging life can be or the lights quietly dimming
And in learning this through an abundance of princess smiles
All of this is beyond the worth of driving endless miles

In the end, if something I have done has taught them well
And they remember in their minds some worthy bit of a tale
Then I will have known that I have served their love well
And passed the lessons of the Newport Aquarium to be revealed

(c) June 1, 2024  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved