You were something

"You were something, my mother said.

I thought she said."

You were bare feet on the rough pebble walkway

Around the side of the house and 

up to the back porch.

You were witches' brew

mixed together in a bucket

filled up with the garden hose,

sticks, moss, and ordinary things

whose magic only you could see.

You were wishing your name was Nikki

And shooting hoops with your dad

and sisters in the fading summer light.

You were hiding sweets in your closet,

under the dresser,

tucked between the bedskirt and

the wooden box frame.

Jolly Rancher glued to the wall

Twinkie mysteriously transformed

into carrot.

You were terrible at washing your hands

But never had a single cavity.

You were convinced the stray Jack Russel

was destined to be yours.

You were hiding so many things

Sleeves pulled down to your wrists

in summer.

But not very good at it.

You were boy and girl,

dog and cat,

sprouting tomato plant 

and summer rain

all at once.

You were a quiet tornado

storm brewing just below the surface

You were standing at the kitchen table

corner at the perfect height to

gently rest your pubic bone.

You were endless math problems

etched into the soft wood of that

honey-colored table.

You were unkempt hair

And sparkling eyes

And a whole world behind

the row of evergreen trees

that protected you with their spiky soft

branches

in the backyard.

Author's Note

poem about myself as a kid

Reviews

[kentuck14]

Lizard,
You're spot on with this poem. Letting go and writing down the joy!! Great images, choice of words, flow, something that came out of both mind and heart. Would like to read more of this. Congratulations.
Tom

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"their spiky soft branches in the backyard"
back then we felt invincible...and it didn't take much for us to consider protection.
at least if we were fortunate to be in a loving family, a protective one.

but sooner or later we have to leave the yard...and are we ready when that time comes?
will we still be all those things our mothers said we are?
really like this one.
j.