dear stranger
i think i must have known you
in a backyard mosaic of leaves,
in sidewalk-chalk masterpieces,
in playgrounds grandiose as castles.

dear stranger
i think i must have known you
in your winterberry jacket,
in your smug grin sitting shotgun,
twiddling your pocketed ten-cents.

dear stranger
i think i must have known you
in sugar-fueled birthday parties,
in grassy little league diamonds,
in the eager bus stop sunrise.

dear stranger
i think i must have known you
in lazy afternoon video games,
in early morning bike races,
in unsolved foolish arguments.

dear stranger
i think i must have known you
in scraped knees,
in melting ice cream,
in rainy board games.

dear stranger
i think i must have known you
in a past life of laughs and squeals and breathless energy.

dear stranger
i think i must have known you.