They knew what could be

The little girl sat in her swing

blond curls the way they are before

you grow up the everywhere I don't care

it looks like my hair was woven from sunlight

a throne for a flower crown.

 

The other little girl lay on her stomach

jumpsuits with stripes from before

we grew up legs kicking back and forth like swimming like she could forever.

 

Barefoot

bright eyed

border separated

they didn't know

about the guys who told them who's land was who's.

 

Never really knew land belonged

to anyone but the trees

who's roots fed off the soil

one girl told the other

It doesn't have to

she said back.

 

Barefoot

bright eyed

borders didn't matter anymore

they ran with their flower crowns and swords of sticks

between caves and picked mushrooms and watched fish.

 

Papa why does she have to stay

over there

where the flowers are more purple?

 

Mum why does she have to stay

over there

where there are more fish in the river?

 

It doesn't have to be.

The girls promised

We wish it didn't have to be

The parents' echos

weren't echos

they were edited the girls wished life

were best friends running

through the world

together
It could be.

Posted in response to the challenge Hello Neighbors.

Popcorn

VT

14 years old

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