Before the Change
The day long
like a wet bed sheet,
we lingered near
the water until
I chose an egret
and you chose
a catfish as
our spirit animals.
We danced madly
in the summer heat
until we were both
spent, and fell
into the grass
laughing and gasping
for hard earned air.
We heard the
song before we
saw the truck,
and fueled by
heart and hunger,
raced across
the clover field,
you in the lead
as always,
riding free handed
on a second hand
pink bike with streamers,
your smile fuller
than a rain heavy sky.
That was the summer
before the change
when blood did
not mean death
but life, and words
were still made
of butter, and not
sharpened objects.
like a wet bed sheet,
we lingered near
the water until
I chose an egret
and you chose
a catfish as
our spirit animals.
We danced madly
in the summer heat
until we were both
spent, and fell
into the grass
laughing and gasping
for hard earned air.
We heard the
song before we
saw the truck,
and fueled by
heart and hunger,
raced across
the clover field,
you in the lead
as always,
riding free handed
on a second hand
pink bike with streamers,
your smile fuller
than a rain heavy sky.
That was the summer
before the change
when blood did
not mean death
but life, and words
were still made
of butter, and not
sharpened objects.
Katarina BoudreauxKatarina Boudreaux is a New Orleans based author, musician, dancer, and teacher. Her first novel Platform Dwellers is forthcoming from Owl Hollow Press. Alexithymia is available from Finishing Line Press and Anatomy Lessons from Flutter Press.
Website // www.katarinaboudreaux.com |