Author: Joshua Keiter

Childhood is meant 
to be relived 

what a relief 
to recognize in 

the impression 
a leaf makes in

a plate of mulch 
imagination by 

any other means 
satisfied by this meal 

a face waits to be 
young with you

Easy to forget how much 
you grew up without 

grasping the concept 
just following along 

in costume blank faced 
holding the bag open

accepting the sweetness 
because it was given 

and understood nothing 
was required in return

The cats spent
the evening trying

to climb the chair 
we lazily left the treats 

they wouldn’t eat 
this morning

Whatever happens to 
the years months weeks days
we never think about 

they must have happened 
and sometimes crawl to the surface 
while we are unawares 

like a PBS marathon 
in the middle of the night 
you stayed up to record on VHS 

repeats worth watching again 
even stay vigilant awake 
to skip the pledge breaks 

but fall asleep as they play 
backwards and forwards in a loop 
you never sit through anymore 

somewhere in this world 
everything happens at once 
for the first time 

and it goes unnoticed unremarked 
but happens nonetheless 
and we are there sleepy eyed

against the tide to witness 
and adjust while
someone else drives the car

Not getting used to
how everyone decided 
this is normal 
without consulting
the other side

Harvest moon
around the corner 
just above the horizon 

everyone slows down
as if surprised to find 
something larger than their own ego 

hanging there in the sky