12 to 1

years later

> at the schoolhouse <

I come to learn that

Chinese jump rope’s made

in America,

that freeze tag’s

a photo

that hopscotch

is fermented,

–and sold at

monkey bars–

just a hop, skip, and backward alphabet away

(from)

the swing set

with grills on the right & boys lining the surf

–who

teeter

&

totter

&

eventually

catapult

(like a really well-done shotput)

beyond non-regulation B-Ball hoops,

3 Wall racket ball,

and torn chain-link

holding it all together

while Mary–

old-fashioned Merry,

Sweet, muddled, old-fashioned Mary just goes ‘round

(and round)

(and round)

playing hide-and-go-seek like to make an astronaut dizzy

…

G-force, you know, as

the steepest slide affords

a different kind of thrill…