Treasures of Childhood

Running around bare foot in a backyard,

Smiles protruding past the popsicle-stained lips,

Conjuring dreams up in a fort,

princesses, doctors, a wedding, the works,

Free minds that are left to be,

Youthful clarity,

Arts and crafts at the dining room table,

Feeling pride in your creations,

Playing with toys in the bathroom for hours,

Endless stories built from your characters.

The luxury of the lack of expectations,

Crawling through the yard in thrifted army gear,

The soldiers of our own soil,

Our safe absence of feeling any fear,

Passing through sprinklers as if they were portals,

Bouncing from cushion to cushion as if the floor was lava,

Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches on every adventure,

A one-man baseball game in the front yard,

Running the t-shirt bases as if you could be out,

Forts created by blankets and pillows,

Our protection from the flying corks in the air,

Block made cities,

Playful destruction,

The purity of imagination we shared,

Every year that passes brings change to our hearts,

Changes us for who we are,

But this gives us the opportunity to see,

The rarity,

That the treasure of childhood can be.