faded, time-stamped, bent, frayed
you a rambunctious red teletubby
me a hybrid princess, the best of Jasmine and Cinderella in one
the photograph pinned to a memory board like an obligation
ends bent forward as if struggling to wedge itself away
knowing it’s forgotten, now glanced at out of boredom not nostalgia
the photos’ worst nightmare

what happened to us?

po traded his scooter for a skateboard
princess no longer believes in fairytales

separated only
by a jack ‘n jill bathroom
it seems like an uncrossable chasm


doesn’t it?

who remembers us?


the photograph.

it looks on from its perch
observes
it captured us, captured time, captured joy – stopped it
now we whiz by, not the po and princess it knows
the photo can tell when a smile is real and when it isn’t

it sees us smile
and knows we aren’t

come back, come back!
don’t go
you will always be princess and po.