blue Christmas dawn reflected on scratched ornaments

 and snow drifts on the walk;

chipped paint porches, tire swings, buffalo nickels and melting cones

and apples purple wrapped.

we slid in and out of the seasons banging the swinging door

that kept the dragonflies out.

we cared not that the cement burned

the sides of our skinny legs,

as we sat cross-legged and played with jacks

or ran to kick the can.

our scalps damp and our throats cooled by glasses of lemonade,

the sun and the sky and the air were ours,

as the breeze flapped our collars and teased our hair.

do you remember those days?

those perfect days?

Gloria Caballero 

Copyright: 2001