“Childhood Friends, Grown Up”

prompt: "old relationship"


Nine years to her eight, a
Block away in a house that
Always smelled of black cherry
Kool-aid, and stay-at-home mom,

I saw her washing a dusty
Volkswagon with paper towels,
Trying to convince her dad
It was clean enough to go
Get pizza. A little girl

Who couldn’t pretend and
Another who ignored reality,
Filling in the days with bike
Rides and board games. Twenty

Years later, we never fail to
Send a birthday card, even though
When we run into each other at the
Grocery store, neither knows what to say.