April 23

People say who you are at 5 years old 

is who you’ll be for the rest of your life. 

I was a child lost in dreams. 

Drinking the nectar of fairies,

Hidden under leaves and berry patches,

Skating the ice rink carved from land and marsh

Tucked away discreetly in the middle of the forest.

I remember traversing tide pools in search of periwinkles,

Rowing a boat to adventure

A baseball bat and a boogie board

Sailing away towards the miracles of tomorrow.

Plates shattering against the wall

Being taught to be afraid

Missing my mother far too much

Wondering if she was gone forever.

Dancing on fallen trees

My hair growing matted with dirt

Swinging higher in the backyard

Feeling the Earth fall away beneath me

The counselor asked 

To draw a picture of what I felt

Now that my parents divorced

And a nice lady pulled me out of class.

I drew our dog running free.

Healing from heavy blows in the neck,

I crept into the basement

To pet her softly.

I was a child lost in dreams.

I thought mermaids emerged

From under the currents of the ferry boat,

And I thought people could change

And grown ups would protect me.