PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

It must have been early spring

because you two boys

had your winter coats on...

Even though the air smelled

fresh and rich of thawing earth

and one could hear birds

and the snow was mostly gone...

It was still cold

The ground was mushy

your boots spoke as you wandered

in the back yard

"squelch, squelch"

investigating the dying remains of winter

and the new birthed treasures of spring

I was in the kitchen

baking Dundee cake

your great-Nanny's recipe

I couldn't see you boys but

I could hear you both...

"Mitchell, come here! Look at this!"

and in response

"No, Tay Tay, you c'ere!"

Close in age yet far apart in words

Tight as thieves and yet strangers

two brothers so very different

and both so very beautiful

Then it was quiet outside

Save for the birds

I opened the back door and called

No response

but I heard a splat

and you Mitchell, giggled

then a shriek -

and your response Taylor,

"Mitchell! I'll get you!"

Another shriek and then

full blown laughter...

At the side of the house

The sand box

that was closed up

for winter...

(till the dry weather returned)

had somehow come open

during recent rains...

A sand box

now a mud box

and you two little boys

in fierce combat

with shovels

and buckets

slinging mud at one another

Splat, splat squelch, splat!

laughter and smiles upon your faces

I could have screamed,

yelled and hollered,

about the mess of your coats

about the mud...

Instead I smiled

And took a picture

I remember the mud

that covered your faces

your coats, mitts, boots,

how mud was splattered

on the side of the house

and on the window...

But by far,

I remember the smiles

and laughter of you-

my two boys...