With every step the voices behind me
fade into the blowing breeze,
until the yells and laughter of the cookout disappear
the rustle of leaves instead filling my ears
singing me to calm.
Peace

With my mother’s blessing I am free to the woods.
Who knows what pretend games and make-believe lay ahead?
Sun sets,
forest ends.
The trail I had followed opening up
into the fields of horses and yards of men.
The laughter and yells of the party creeping back to my ears.
Peace

is disrupted as a ford truck speeds up to meet me.
I greet the familiar faces with a confused smile
as they claim to have saved me.
From what?
From the woods?
From being lost?
None of which I feared
but here these people are
to save me from them anyway.
They return me to the party,
to where the feel I should be.

Still,

my life unfolds as I please.
At times I cut the chains
that tie me to the dark room
full of equations
of silly words
of dates and
numbers
and with open eyes I am free to the world.
Who knows what adventures and wisdom lay ahead?
Peace



I live full.
Of friends
of joy
of laughter and
Peace

is disrupted as angry adults grab me by my age.
I greet the familiar faces with a wary smile
as they claim to have saved me.
From what?
From freedom?
From lack of a thin green cloth?
None of which I feared,
but here these people are
to save me from them anyway.
They return me to that dark room,
to where they feel I should be.

They can never let the young be free,
for they know what is best
and forever they will save us.
From the woods.
From freedom.
From
Peace.