Childhood

For my big brother

I'm floating

Above the sea of people

the drama and the mayhem

while everyone else moves along

The memories

come crashing into my brain

like waves of cooling water.

Oh, please, just let me drown right here.

Do you remember that day

the way I do?

Weren't you the one who said

not to cry?

"Don't worry", you said

"Everything comes to an end

one day

Then life starts over".

The front yard

"stick-swings", bows-and-arrows

the ball games in the rainfall

You chased rainbows to Sunnyland.

The old house

Forts in the living room

I was always on your side

That's just the way things were.

Do you remember that day the way I do?

Weren't you the one who said

not to cry?

"Don't worry", you said

"Everything comes to an end

one day

then life starts over".

When did things get like this?

When did time fall away?

You grew up; I guess I did, too.

Do you remember when we were young

and nothing mattered?

I miss them, don't? The times; the memories.

I suppose the times were better than the memories.

Or is it the other way around?

Do you remember that time

the way I do?

The memory starts to fade into

the dream.

The tears that fell from those eyes

so long ago came back today.

"Don't worry."

Then life starts over.

Author's Note

I wrote this after my older brother revealed to me that his girlfriend was pregnant. He was 18. I was 15.

Reviews

[bobc]

N...a young poem for sure. As a poem, you might consider abandoning the repetition of that stanza. Simply keep the last one. Otherwise, good effort and heartfelt...bobc

[NANA]

Bobc,
Thank you for your review! I'll probably keep it the way it is. I don't like to edit my work after it's already finished. Please read my other work, too. You might prefer my more recent stuff. :)

[bobc]

N...my suggestion was only that...a suggestion. It's your poem and you decide.

Maybe I presume too much but don't be surprised if you find you want to change things around at some point. 'Finished' is a relative. I've discovered that poems are never finished...they only keep growing. ...bobc

[NANA]

I know it's been a year now, but I've just seen your reply. I understand where you're coming from and what you mean by 'finished' being relative. I think what I was trying to say was that I don't like to edit my old work, for my own sake. Maybe if I were editing it look and flow better the way you suggested, that would be fine, but I like to keep it as it was when I originally penned it so that I, as the author, can look back on it and remember exactly where I was and how I was feeling (especially at a young age) at that moment in time. Once again, thank you for your suggestion and review :)