I feel the heat on the sidewalk
Radiating up through the stone steps
Sitting there playing school
With rocks and chalk
Waiting on the fireflys to come out
And dance among the broken bottles
And rocks and us, twirling
Walking to school on broken sidewalks
Morning school, lunch
And afternoon school
Tornado drills in the hallways
And naps on mats, before recess
Sandwiches always and Jay’s potato chips
white and chocolate lunch ladies
The clock in the neighbor’s kitchen?
Felix, I think, black and white
Swish and swoosh, tick tock
Plastic on the sofa and chairs
Black and white table in the kitchen
Where juice cups sit and crackers
Mrs. Miller standing guard in the door
Back porches and stoops
Rickety stairs and closet tents
Creature Features and sneaky twins
Dark shadows and beating hearts
Rappidy rappidy beat beat, sweat
Big staring eyes in a small face
Screams! Laughter! I’m telling!
Emergency room visits
How many tasty orange candies
Did you eat little one?
These many, with palm up and open
The nurse said they only taste good with soda
And we wanted some too at first
But momma said no, just for little one
White lace and taffeta
Stretched all the way down the hall
Measuring and cutting away years
Snipping carefully so nothing is forgot
Not the slightest laugh, nor the smallest tear
Piecing together white space for
New stuff to be stitched in
Sisters, women, girls, mothers, ladies
Fancy, sassy, smart and pretty
All in one, place, space, heart, life
Four, three, two, three, one
Nothing stops the rain, but dammit
With grace and crass, meds and sun
We can sow colorful umbrellas
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