25 VOLUME 9 |ISSUE 2 |2018
When I Was Young
I was younger once,
In days of lilac blue,
Upon the yellow sand
In a freshwater sea
I sat with my feet
In the water turned green
By its warmth
There, little silver fishes
Darted among my toes
And disappeared into
The black mineral depths
Of, oh, maybe a foot?
The air fell downward
In an invisible whoosh
That rippled across the surface
And sent white paper plates
Tumbling from grey
Picnic tables
The red-roof building
Upon a green grass hill
Stood sentry over summer revelers
As smells of corndogs and pretzels
Filled the air
Red, white, and blue bags
Filled with charcoal
Sat next to brown pine trunks
That cast cool shadows that
Brought relief to hot sand-burnt feet
Where, underneath, an old patchwork
Blanket was spread out
And a body reclined safe
Save for the occasional curious
Honeybee
Children, myself included, found friends
Among the sun-bleached playground equipment
Of swing sets, monkey bars, and silver-mirrored slides
That burnt pink the legs of someone unwise
Enough to slide when the sun was high
Through the shadowy woods in the back
A long walk brought you
Through the marshes where
The blue dragon lighted
Momentarily upon the water
Living ripples behind
That was the color of my summers
With sun-kissed shoulders
Worn-out senses
And a day that lasted for years
When I was young
When I Was Young
I was younger once,
In days of lilac blue,
Upon the yellow sand
In a freshwater sea
I sat with my feet
In the water turned green
By its warmth
There, little silver fishes
Darted among my toes
And disappeared into
The black mineral depths
Of, oh, maybe a foot?
The air fell downward
In an invisible whoosh
That rippled across the surface
And sent white paper plates
Tumbling from grey
Picnic tables
The red-roof building
Upon a green grass hill
Stood sentry over summer revelers
As smells of corndogs and pretzels
Filled the air
Red, white, and blue bags
Filled with charcoal
Sat next to brown pine trunks
That cast cool shadows that
Brought relief to hot sand-burnt feet
Where, underneath, an old patchwork
Blanket was spread out
And a body reclined safe
Save for the occasional curious
Honeybee
Children, myself included, found friends
Among the sun-bleached playground equipment
Of swing sets, monkey bars, and silver-mirrored slides
That burnt pink the legs of someone unwise
Enough to slide when the sun was high
Through the shadowy woods in the back
A long walk brought you
Through the marshes where
The blue dragon lighted
Momentarily upon the water
Living ripples behind
That was the color of my summers
With sun-kissed shoulders
Worn-out senses
And a day that lasted for years
When I was young
