Calico Frost

I am grateful.

Grateful that three no-longer-kids,
Grown-up,

Jobs-and-girlfriends-and-college boys

Are there for me

Have my back

Even though we haven’t talked for a while

Even though we live hours away

I remember that warm summer night,

we argued about who could jump farther off the swings,

we were only 14.

It down poured,

they didn't set the fireworks off,

you didn't care,

neither did I.

There's a grapefruit spindrift on the kitchen island where I’m sitting. The digital clock at the top of my Mac Book Air screen reads 9:16 p.m.

Don’t kill my birds.

Tommy pays taxes.

April runs a side hustle selling cursed bath bombs on Etsy.

They have dreams.

They have a 401k.

They just bought a tiny house in a haunted forest

I put on a sweatshirt,

Put on some pants,

Summer is coming,

And I don’t stand a chance.

I go downstairs knowing,