Tonight I went out and looked up at the crescent moon.
The evening air was calm and cool.
I tried to think deep thoughts about eternity,
about how this suffering now is only a blip,
and all worth it for the great forever to come…
but the moon kept flipping over and smiling at me.
I think it’s trying to tell me to laugh more!
Grinning, I go back inside
to my newly mopped floor
–a rare treat with 5 kids!–
and write this little poem.
I remember hazy summer mornings with my brothers,
exploring the long yellow grass by the country road,
picking up garter snakes by the tips of their tails
and watching them wriggle.
I remember the rustling sound
of crickets in the dry grass….
that smell of wild flowers and freedom.
When we got hot we used to go hide out
in the shade of the forest around our cabins
and look for tiny frogs.
We’d catch them and make them swim
across our little kiddy pool
again and again until laughing
we let our magic moving toys squirm out of our hands
into the cool green grass.
Man! What I would give for a time machine,
a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a little grubby t-shirt,
being there again, a kid.
Except this time I’d bring my kids–
all 5 of them
to play with me.
Just East Of Crazy Land 