I was little then


    My favorite companions were filled


    with stuffing and bits of frayed love.


    I carried them everywhere, tucked


    them into the corners of my bed to


    bury the nightmares. The only hands


    I needed were bigger than mine, soothing


    the sores and wrapping the aches


    with white and kiss. I didn’t know


    about the love others wanted like I loved


    bare feet in minty grass or the taste


    of honeysuckle flowers trailing down,


    kittens perched behind the water jugs,


    pink noses softer than couch cushions.


    But I was little then, when my love was captured


    with the fields of caterpillars


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    and the taste of melting popsicles,


    flavors brighter than sun.


    Younger and wiser


    While my dad was constructing houses


    out of dreams and stone, I would follow


    along, plastic tools in hand, determined to build


    a city out of youth and small yellow nails.


    The siblings hoisted roofs over the lives


    of legos, and our economy rivaled ancient


    Greece and Rome. My bear had sailed the seven


    seas and wore the suit to prove it. Aliens trailed


    behind me, filled with stuffing, little green


    eyes smiling. At night I donned the pirate’s


    charm and interrogated everyone—


    tell me about the mutiny.


    The house was my track, a tractor my chariot.


    We rode till dawn. Our riches grew with every cup


    of cool aid, cherries flowing down the sugary


    river of red. And although I didn’t know


    the letters that arched into words of stories and legend,


    I cracked Nintendo games like walnuts, breaking the shell


    to unearth the flavor of wisdom.