The first home that I ever had
sat on a hill in bright sunshine
when I think of it I still feel sad
and wish that it were mine
The slip n' slide glistened in the sun
in the place where Nardsy learned to run
those kickball games were so much fun
The Big X on the trampoline
the best fireworks that I've ever seen
Nards stared down the chipmunk grate
all day long till very late
The downstairs parlor
dark & cool
my babies coming home from school
The gypsy woman warning
that the fingers never lie
and when the leaves were turning orange
I'd bake an apple pie
I guess it always felt too small
where Eb was hanging on the wall
The front porch
where we used to smoke
and lift eachother
for a joke
It was hot outside
and cool in there
and we all
had terrible hair
The kitchen
where I learned to make
hardboiled egg
asparagus bake
Helga's baths
my secret room
a tornado came!
and through the gloom
our safety! i thought
a smile on my lip
but I still made Max
go get the dip
The boring man
across the street
and how we'd all go
trick or treat
There were real gross bugs
trapped in the side door
and the Schwann's man
always came at four
I learned
when I was five or six
to live in a house
thats made of bricks
or else the wolf can blow down the door
in a house just made of flimsy sticks
If I could just go back there
I'd even wear my Great Clips hair
those corny slippers and overalls
I'd even keep those mustard yellow kitchen walls
my family chopping down a tree
in our backyard on Shawnee.
Sarah said...
You were right about bringing a tissue, damn it and I'm at work the last line got me and the part about Nodszie. We were all hideous, fat and had horrifying haircuts, but we were happy, and a family. When we went back after we lived at 56th St. we felt like two big giants in a doll house, remember? That was weird, and the time those old people stole our lunch when we were there working. The trolly Nards would run on and we used it for under crotch toss before the yard was fenced in. Where we made our Mommie Dearest movie, and I remember who excited we were when the basement was finished. It did feel like we were the Cleavers. Max the annoying little Beav, me the responsible older Wally, you although not always in heels and pearls, cooked gourmet meals every night and waiting for Ward to come home with his breifcase. We'd gather round for family movie night, and eat out every Friday, Chili's and Don Pablos for about a year each. Max and I had businesses all throughout the neighborhood, babysitting, shoveling, housesitting, cat sitting, painting, trash removal, those were the good old days. I hope that in 10 years I can have my little Shawnee, Lilli in the backyard on the Alligator Alley, maybe a dog or two running around, some music blasting from the inside, and you and I, on the back patio, a chilled glass of sun tea each, just taking it all in.