Remember anticipating Spring and the life it would avail?
The baby birds, innocent words, and how clouds could grow a tail?
Remember the smell of honeysuckle while the earth was dark and moist
And the ice cream truck peddling its wares reminded us we had a choice?
Remember the rain and smells that came and frogs and earthworms too
And the robins were in a candy store because of the evening dew?
Remember the jar with ants inside to see them build a maze
And feeling exhausted at the sight of it all, unlike our lazy days?
Remember the aggressive kiss the Summer had made upon our skin
We wanted so much to play with him but his heat drove us back in?
Remember the haze ‘neath the furnace we played and off-distance some mirage
And the idea of going and retiring there as we cooled in the garage?
Remember Fall’s vivid paintings started over with a breeze
The foliage that once hid our hideaway became a skeleton of trees?
Remember running for that touchdown and pine straw would fake you out
Your footing was lost before that ten-yard win and everyone would roll about?
Remember cold rains and football games and homecoming’s top hats and lace
Anticipating Christmas would make us forget that Winter would soon embrace?
His cold feet and wind felt as some reprimand for living a carefree life
And then flu’s and colds and a red runny nose were as cookies and milk from his wife?
Remember the day when dad went away and all we could do was cry?
Why didn’t he want us and what did we do and other exclamations of why?
Remember mom’s glance at our hard-headed stance and how we tried to look away
Yet her disapproving stare would always take us there and it brings me here today?
Remember remembering and how it once healed and showed me how far I’d come
To look at my now and make-way-somehow and how I never resorted to just run?
Remember God’s seal despite my hard-headed will and despite how alone I felt?
God will never forsake or leave or repudiate and still, my greatest adversary is… self.
