There’s a soft swish
as my hair spills across the soft blades.
Falling into a warm pool of sunshine,
a dew-covered dream catcher,
that hides my childhood secrets
and fantasies behind the lush landscape.

I’ve spent so many days here,
my daydreams floating along in the cool breeze,
but never one as sad as today. 

Where the bittersweet taste of my memory
presses down on my chest,
leaving me gasping for the air
that wasn’t so heavy a week ago.

Where the unmistakable sound
of firecrackers and laughter
on the Fourth of July and my birthday parties,
still rings in my ears,
leaving the hollowness inside of me
to feel only partially full.

Where the visions of my family dancing on air,
drinking bubbly soda pop that makes them burp
and giggle like children,                                                                   
still plays upon my inward eye,
like an endless movie.

A call from the doorway,
my mother, holding a large box filled
with my clothes and memories,
And a single tear cooling my sun-soaked face.
Then a dull crunch
as I stand, leaving my safe haven of grass

Forever.