today is the fourth of july.

living here in one of those rural suburbs that folks build around lakes,

every house has a wind chime.

it’s not time for fireworks; the sun is still out.

i should be out of my element.

a small chinese girl in a group of big american boys.

it’s strange.

street hockey.

beach football,

freeze tag.

we play any game that ends in skinned knees.

someone yells for us to come back inside. we kick up clouds as we run along dirt roads.

today, it’s hot outside. the bonfire is a beautiful funeral.

we don’t get to wonder what we’re gonna do tomorrow. if we’re lucky enough we’ll lie in the dead grass and watch the wind blow by.

we’re the wannabe cowboys with no dads and tired moms.

we are the kids who work overtime, the kids they told you to avoid.

do you know our names?

[reverse version:

do you know our names?

we are the kids who work overtime, the kids they told you to avoid.

we’re the wannabe cowboys with no dads and tired moms.

we don’t get to wonder what we’re gonna do tomorrow. if we’re lucky enough we’ll lie in the dead grass and watch the wind blow by.

today, it’s hot outside. the bonfire is a beautiful funeral.

someone yells for us to come back inside. we kick up clouds as we run along dirt roads.

we play any game that ends in skinned knees.

freeze tag.

beach football,

street hockey.

it’s strange.

a small chinese girl in a group of big american boys.

i should be out of my element.

it’s not time for fireworks; the sun is still out.

every house has a wind chime.

living here in one of those rural suburbs folks build around lakes,

today is the fourth of july.]