Asphalt Remembers
Asphalt remembers hopscotch ghosts
and cracked four-square windows
where pasty-faced children played
until the last bell rang.
"Tommy, throw it over here."
One of a dozen red balls bouncing
in and out of the lines
while the rhythm is kept
by little girl skirts
as the rope hits the ground.
Asphalt remembers tear-stained cheeks,
scraped knee skids
and the sound of gathered laughter,
of years tied together
with broken shoestrings
and French fried potatoes.
Playground voices etched in cracks
on abandoned school grounds.
Asphalt remembers.
and cracked four-square windows
where pasty-faced children played
until the last bell rang.
"Tommy, throw it over here."
One of a dozen red balls bouncing
in and out of the lines
while the rhythm is kept
by little girl skirts
as the rope hits the ground.
Asphalt remembers tear-stained cheeks,
scraped knee skids
and the sound of gathered laughter,
of years tied together
with broken shoestrings
and French fried potatoes.
Playground voices etched in cracks
on abandoned school grounds.
Asphalt remembers.
Copyright ©2006 K~
very nice, miss k. well written and the descriptions took me back to a time when i, too, was a small girl playing on the playground.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly we used to jump rope together at Sierra Vista :-)
DeleteYou took me time traveling. First image in my mind was the sidewalk outside of my parent's home. I've never considered writing a poem from this part of my life. Clearly the descriptions are strong and had the force to pull me through time. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThank you Brenda. Perhaps you can pick up the muse and run with it through your memories of playground moments too! I would love to see what you come up with.
DeleteReally cool take...I agree with the ladies above *Hi girls* it is impossible to read that and not feel the playground, the sidewalk or wherever you played as a child. So clearly and precisely done.
ReplyDelete♥
Thank you Jo :-) I guess this turned out to be a shared retrieval of childhood moments... that makes a new memory of an old one... I love it!
DeleteYou transported me to a more carefree time in my life--when my worries were few and the playground was something I looked forward to each and every day! Great post :) Cheers, Jenn
ReplyDeleteJenn, I am glad to be able to do that. An escape to joyful times in the mind, is always a pleasant journey!
DeleteThank you for taking the time.
This was pure awesome and really took me back!
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
:-) I'm glad you had fun with me on the playground Kathy!
DeleteAwesome poem! Conjures up all kinds of visual images and childhood memories....very nicely done!
ReplyDeleteThank you Laurie, glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteBeautiful poem...nice walk down memory lane :-) Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming by Teresa!
DeleteOh that was seriously evocative! Beautifully written and I think I am going to share it on my page. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteWell Mojo, Thank you! That's quite the compliment.
Delete