Photo by Frank McKenna
Innocence
Lauren Scharhag
We used to play
in the alleys and vacant lots,
robins, titmice and mourning doves
dotting the power lines.
The feral cats we always
tried to capture and tame,
wanting something
to call our own.
Bare feet in the uncut grass,
splashing in the kiddie pool.
Water cold from the hose,
backyard baptisms,
imagining our souls
as pure as the green world
fluttering and scurrying
around us.
Lauren Scharhag
We used to play
in the alleys and vacant lots,
robins, titmice and mourning doves
dotting the power lines.
The feral cats we always
tried to capture and tame,
wanting something
to call our own.
Bare feet in the uncut grass,
splashing in the kiddie pool.
Water cold from the hose,
backyard baptisms,
imagining our souls
as pure as the green world
fluttering and scurrying
around us.