the grass in the fields is tall

(it brings to mind bare knees

and a scab in the same

place for 5 consecutive years of

black and white photos

with ruffled edges)

rain and sun and rain and sun

this year

(flowers' favorite kind of weather)

irises stand tall --

(c'mon now, who doesn't love the

white, purple and yellow)

calling, calling

(it can make me want to scream and weep)

horses are happy

swish swish of their tails

foxes run away in the headlights

soon, we will see the quail family and

its young brood of miniatures

treacherously, (bravely) scurry across the road

peddle pushers, now called capris or cropped

(somewhere along the way I graduated to cut-offs)

we didn't show our bellies, then

unless laid out on blankets in bikini's

drenched in baby oil and sweat

(I had a scar on that knee until my mid-thirties)

my son has knack for baseball

who knew?

whack whack against white leather

(I broke my arm at summer camp and couldn't go in the pool)

farm animal babies running fast and the last day of school

long hours outside and squabbling over going to bed

when the sky is not quite dark

restless, content

we have children to remember how to feel new