EMERGING;

Between the strands of

golden doll hair

and

bright red jam

piled on buttered toast,

They asked you what hope was.

Scratching your head of glittery

rainbow

clips,

You said;

“Hope is to know every every every single thing in the world”

YOUNG;

In rooms

bleached

with lead

and rubber,

They asked you what hope was.

Red ink

bled through

white chalk,

You said;

“Hope is to leave and claim a place of my own.”

ADULT;

Through shelves filled with papers,

Sculpting

creases

across your

skin.

They asked you what hope was.

Bright screen

reflects

off

blue-light glasses,

You said;

“Hope is to fight for the top.”

ELDER;

Around

baskets of

flowers,

An old

rocking

chair.

You asked them what hope was.

Sweet cake

soaked in

bitter tea,

They said;

“Hope is nothing but to live through every tomorrow.”