~ Building A Memory ~

I felt the roughness of the bark on the old oak tree,
I breathed in the freshness of the fallen Spring rain,
I felt the warmth of the puddles left behind,
and I splashed with childhood glee.

Stooping down, I pick up sand and watch it
fall between my fingers onto the ground,
Shhhh, listen to the sound of laughter as I play,
I'm building memories that will stay.

When I lie down on my back in the fresh cut grass,
I feel so very small,
I watch clouds pass overhead and I paint
pictures of the sky on canvasses of my mind
with indigos and red.

Shhh, listen to my laughter as I play
I'm building memories that will stay.

Today I am an adult.
My memories are stored on a special shelf,
but when days bring orange skys and rain,
I drift off, but only for awhile,
and retrieve my box of memories
with a smile.

I open them again,
Oh the trill and laughter of a child at play,
A child that built memories that will never fade away.

~*~


Janice Bumbalough Marler © 2003