Summertime

Summertime
we spent entire days
in the street
not the corner the actual street
doggin in kickball
doubledutching to the
rythm of
little brown girls tapping feet
singing rhymes
and twirling rope
"but you double handed"
shouted whenever I twirled
I was only good for
jumping
but couldn't nobody
beat me at that
while lil boy friends
who we wanted to be
boyfriends
fed Now and Laters to
ants, watching them pour out of
concrete in droves
Uncle Man
turn on the hydrant
some teen sitting on top
redirecting the strong stream
spraying us all
filling water ballons and
lightin each other up
exhausted
throughin jacks on sidewalk
mastering hopscotch
crossing rope and ankles
undefeated at fivesies
on that chinese jump rope
let me hoola hoop
while Joey is
lookin my way

playing
hide and go seek
truth or dare
touch and go get it
lil fast girls
having fun
life feeling limitless
throwing back heads and
laughing out loud
free
free

while pop rocks
sizzled inside of cheeks
and penny candy stuck to teeth
street lights
slowing popping on
as sunlight
fades to the horizon
gotto get home
grabbing my good wire ropes
jumping on that shiny boy ten speed
making my way home to
wash, eat rest
wanting nothing more
than to
return again tomorrow