Clarity, Peace, Serenity

It beckons to me,
this place of wonders,
of sunshine,
of butterflies and better times.

It calls my name softly.
And I, as if in a dream,
I obey.
I stay.

Sticky hands and smiling faces,
hushed secrets in the darkness.
Squeals and shouts of glee.
Carefree.

Let the world fall away.
Hair flying,
Pumping high,
wind rushing by.

Innocence,
a time of make-believe,
of scraped knees
and hugs.

Naivety.
Belief that the world will always be
Serene.
Perfect.

Secret hide-outs,
cops and robbers,
around-the-house.
Climbing on the roof.

Chocolate chip cookies,
and hot cocoa on a cold day.
Tights and runny noses.
The feeling that everything would be okay.

Bike riding,
and dolls.
Hair pulling, fights,
but always making up.

Pinkie swear,
friends forever,
until, one day,
you move away.

Close my eyes,
I see a tunnel dug in the snow,
planting apple seeds in the hopes
of growing an apple tree.

Feet dangling from the branches
way up high
where no one can find me.
My own nest.

They call to each other,
going down the slide.
I am jolted back to reality.
I am an outsider now.

But those moments,
remembering a better time.
A park filled with children,
running happy running free.

That used to be me.