Growing up;

My friends became strangers,

I made new ones, in my hand a red party cup,

I forgot the old worried of quicksand and cooties, I became aware of new dangers,

Like OD’s and early graves,

Like exams and corporate slaves.

Tootsie Rolls have become cigarettes,

Chalks have become lighters,

Lost opportunitys have become regrets.

Rebels, failures, adolescent punks, once poets, doctors or lawyers, writers…

We gave it up, for the most part,

For some experiences and some fun and heart.

Younger me would have never thought

That flamethrowers and drug addicts would be my choice,

The alphabet and words were all I had been taught,

I hadn’t found my voice.

Time wasted lying about being high, and lying,

Wasted, on the floor, pretending we’re all just born dying.