by Julia Genkinger
inspired by Mike Sherry’s demo-lesson
After years of watching this particular place
Finding a home in a place so wide
The day finally arrived
My last August 1st had been on my mind
Since the day I turned five.
The familiar humid air
Stuck to my face the way stickers stick
To their sticky selves
And I was stuck.
My feet turned to bricks
And I could not move
Not because of fear
But because I could not leave this home.
I guess fear is what stopped me.
Since the day I turned five
I fell in love with this particular place
I spent most of my days wiping away
The grass and dirt
Not always with joy
But always with heart.
For ten years I came to this particular place
Its home to my darkest secrets
My biggest failures.
My biggest success.
My closest friends.
The smell of the fresh cut grass
Is forever ingrained in my mind
I breathe in and out
Missing the home I built
Gasping for air and one more chance
To make memories here again.