13 Again

Summer Vibes Take Me Back

Photo is mine

That smell of sun-kissed skin on my arms,
Softly sharp,
Warm comfort.
It’s the aroma of youth long since passed,
Distant, gleeful memories,
All but forgotten
Until today.

The smell of carefree days,
Blankets and boomboxes,
Colas and Sweet Valley High,
The music punctuated by teenage fits of laughter,
Gossipy giggles,
And maybe, the odd cartwheel.

I linger on the memory,
Longing to stick out my tongue,
To taste it,
The way I used to,
That delightful childhood abandon,
Amplified by the summer sun,
And my own self-importance.

Yet, I hold back,
I dare not,
Fearing a foolish appearance.
Greying hair and fine lines,
Neither justify nor support
Such decadence.

Or do they?