I grew up in the old days
That only exists in stories
Of walks in icy cold tundra
Miles and miles to school.
Except my icy cold tundra was
The Sunshine State golden glow
With heat that soaks your skin
And rain that’s an afternoon feature.
I grew up on a long street
That wasn’t run by adults
No homeowners association
No debates about grass heights
Instead, five curious minds
Whose eyes saw everything
The gray house on the corner
To the giant flower magnolias.
They were the kings and queens.
The explorers, the architects
And the landscapers of their world.
They were the creators.
Roaming free, sun up to sun down.
No part left untouched
Only to stop to lay under the trees
To watch the sun play with the leaves.
Their world wasn’t crowded
With impossibilities and necessities
Their world survived on old magic
Eyes that imagine and believe
From the first peek out the window
Checking if life had opened its eyes
Sunlight dipping through the blinds
Showing them the escape from darkness
From season to season the stories changed
But the canvas grew up with them
Accommodating the stretches and pulls
Of where their laughs would take them.
Often times it led their world to stretch
So far into their dreams giving comfort
As their adventures came alive
In front of their eyes like a movie screen
Always questioning and pushing
The boundaries of what’s beyond
Reaching out with their hands
Easing the grip on their childhood.
I grew up on this street.
There is a girl with blonde curls
Peeking out from behind a tree
Eyes twinkle with a secret.
An Everyday Girl's Outlet 