After School Fun
for poetry challenge week 5
On warm afternoons,
Sometimes we would race
Around the block
Or give a good chase
To the ones who
Stole the bacon.
We’d get into fights
About tags mistaken
Then break it up
Jumping Rope (from harveyparkdistrict.org)
To play Mr. Freeze,
Jump double-dutch,
Or just climb trees.
When we were kids,
Red Rover was king.
He hovered above us
Watching us ding
Dong ditch
Mrs. Harris.
I’m not sure
If Chuck Barris
Got his start
On a playground,
But I know we didn’t.
Our games were found
In the alleys
And between the houses.
Still wearing our uniform pants
And dingy white blouses,
We ran from
Our neighbors’ sons
(But not too fast
From the cute ones).
Catch a girl, kiss a girl
Was best at night
Right before the glow
Of the street light
Would beckon us home.
Moms on porches,
Lightening bugs
Like torches,
Big brothers at garage doors
All guided us in,
But the smell of dinner
Was not enough to win
Us over.
Our games were through.
Alas, there was homework
And chores we had to do.
Memos from the Middle 