béseme mucho
me, my brother nate summer 1992
when did we stop being children
when did we need to become hard or lean or fit
whatever happened to waves softly rolling and soft cheeks rather than sunken ones
when did i forget how your voice sounds when you feel close
color by number finger paint pom-pom animals pipe cleaner caterpillars clothespin monsters family portraits itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini blue suede shoes toboggan rides training wheels neon winter hats too many holiday themed chocolates popsicle stained mouths woodsmoke scented hair innertubes around the lake chasing geese off the lawn fortresses of cardboard bricks our own television show crooked toothed smiles plastic barrettes in the shapes of animals juiceboxes sibling fights sitting in the window five measure piano pieces my first chord homework writing the letter "a" leggings with foot straps one speed bicycles sidewalk chalk finding the same rabbit over and over in the clouds coloring books scratch and sniff stickers flavored toothpaste writing too much rhyming poetry unicorns nancy drew following runoff rivers down streets racing paper boats playing with dishwashing soap and covering the kitchen with suds bathtime with rubber duckies brother's bugle boy clothing class pictures 32 stuffed animals jelly shoes dancing badly girl scouts leaf rubbings scented erasers second grade schoolgirl crushes the meadows at the gasline running the pacer conical cardboard birthday hats goodie bags birthday smoke 4 albums total the zoo the aquarium the gift shops leaf races down rivers fishing with no bait or hook blowing bubbles off bridges bike rides down the cape cod canal vibrant floral sundresses the real mcdonalds playgrounds swingset contests learning the colors in spanish and when the power goes out fighting over flashlights playing board games and falling asleep with the thoughts of friendly ghosts all around
when?
there is only one place i dont feel on my way out
i will let my hair grow long
i will dance too often and badly
i will smile wide