When it was Summer and You were...
(This is inspired by the prompt “Moving Pieces of Time -- how things morph, fade away, or remain the same” for LadySquareArts #30for90 Summer Arts Challenge)
When it was Summer and You were 7…
Your mom was the prettiest one at the pool
(which you peed in)
and had the best sunglasses.
You left the house with your bathing suit on
under your clothes and a few bucks in your pocket
or your socks.
You ran or rode your bike everywhere and everyone
else’s backyard and play rooms
were also yours.
You ate a million popsicles and caught fireflies
with sticky fingers and fought against the heaviness
of your eyelids as dusk settled.
The days were never-ending and the nights were hot
and still.
When it was Summer and You were 14…
You wished your mom would let you stay out later
with the older kids and their mysterious drinks
hidden by damp paper towels.
You felt so grown up and bought your first two-piece
(but you couldn’t wear it to church camp).
You drank a million sodas and swatted at mosquitoes
and visited your more grown-up friends at their jobs
and hoped they’d sneak you a free ice cream or fries.
The days ended too quickly and the nights were hot and filled with
mystery and promise.
When it was Summer and You were 21…
You finally drank a beer with your parents and their
friends on the patio, and silently wondered what all the fuss
had been about.
You started wondering if a two-piece was a good idea
because She looks better in hers and He keeps swimming
closer to Her.
You went to a million parties and looked up into the eyes
of the Guys You Danced With and wondered if they’d kiss you.
(They did.)
The days were shorter because you slept til noon and the nights were hot
and blurry.
When it was Summer and You were 28…
You drank beer your friends who now had
someone tiny calling them “Mom” and you wondered
when you grew up.
You bought a one-piece because you were in that weird place
between “too young for a skirted suit” and “too old and too
self-conscious for a bikini.”
You worked a million hours at your job and wistfully watched
as your younger friends took summer vacations and slept til noon
and you wondered if summer was still magical.
The days were long and still and the nights ended early
after Just One Beer because the alarm
was set for 6am.
When it is Summer and You are almost 35…
Your mom is your favorite person to drink with and she has
a nicer house and pool and yard and the good tequila
(and she is still the prettiest one).
You said “fuck society’s standards” and bought a sensible two-piece
that still covers your ass and stomach but makes
your boobs look incredible.
You see the millions of memories and magical moments mirrored
in the eyes of someone who is experiencing Summer
wholly and unabashedly.
The days are long and repetitive but the nights are exactly what You make them
because You know, You realize, You remember why
Summer is secretly your favorite.