a lifetime every day
restless, i sat,
waiting for the clock to strike 5.
only then, was i allowed to dash out of my home,
down a flight of stairs, across the field, stairs, past the pool, stairs, around the bend
following the familiar chorus of shouting and laughter
i could navigate the way with my eyes closed.
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kicking open the rickety wooden gate
scaling the plastic orange slide
at ten, it seemed as tall as a skyscraper
as i shimmied into the opening at the very top
and hopped up to sit on it
staring down at the world beneath me.
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i was on top of the world.
-
we were on top of the world.
-
we’d live our wildest fantasies
playing kings and queens
rockstars and olympians
laughing till our heads spun
as we tripped over our feet
and landed in the bed of gold under our toes.
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we’d build castles and fortresses
decorate our creations with fallen leaves and flower petals
only to kick them up
when the last of our comrades vaulted over the fence
and the excitement began.
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we’d lock eyes with “it”
our legs deciding whether to surrender or flee
the first step
it felt like we were soaring
emotions running high on adrenaline, on endorphins,
on life.
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we’d seen each other laugh and cry
we didn’t know how much we were growing up before our own eyes.
we lived in the moment
enjoying each other’s company
burning with the wildness and innocence that only childhood could bring.
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it was at this moment
that we were alive
that we were infinite.