Think back

To scraped knees and sandy fingers

Playground pals and teachers with first names

To nap times and coloring pages and

No expectations

Snack time and play time and work time

Ran into each other like spilled apple juice

From and overturned juice box

Everyone was a genius

Discoveries were made every day and

Everything was an experiment

Tiny scientists manipulating data

Shouting "Eureka!" in babbles and burps

Each day was exciting

Things to learn and do and see

And every experience was new

Everyone was an artist

Painting with crayons and boogers and backyard mud

Pictures from your heart that only you could decipher

And everyone loved you

Your fumbles were endearing

And something to learn from

Your spilt juice was funny

And easily cleaned up

Your art was a masterpiece

A symphony of colors

And everyone loved the sound

Now

Your art is a burden

Something that holds you back

Your slip ups are landslides

Catastrophes that cannot be forgiven

And now,

Instead of spilling juice

You're spilling your eighth cup of midnight coffee

Your last sip of whiskey

Your last shred of hope

And it's not so easy to clean up