8-11 Newland St.

Smile at me, remember.
the story unfolds on your face
in your eyes

as they sparkle the way we did when we pranced around
being happy forever

before we forgot what it was like to be clean

before our black tears
dripped like oil from our faces and hearts

before him
and him
and her

before we again realized there was a sun
and it left again

oh the green grass and trees
we climbed, we ran and breathed the chlorinated water together.

we'd stay up late dancing and playing with beanie babies

and you,
i had you.
just a few houses away,
just a few blocks away.

when i took it all for granted
and i thought things could be bad

well.
look how they turned out.