Summer mornings fresh and crisp

The magic that a ride to the country

To a young girl brings

The ride on your bike, the air on my face

Anticipation of new adventure lurks up ahead

Delightful aroma of wet earth, tumbling rivers

of coffee with milk after the morning rain.

 

A herd of goats, men on their bikes,

at a distance a man makes bricks

the bus that just passed

hot roaring engine, kicking bits of hot dust

mingled with exhaust fumes

making me squint and shake with delight.

We ride all the way out to the Military City

out where the grass grows wild and

the flowers bloom free

where I run like crazy trying to catch

as many starts,  for me

while the dreaded soldiers that

guard the fallen stars attack me.

They zap my legs right through my  pants

I don't scratch or stop to rest

if anything, I speed up the pace

to capture more stars is now my quest.

With infinite pride I ride on your bike

One hand to your waist

...so many Stars!

as people drive by and turn to stare

a memorable day in my life today.

Once home I  scratch and count the bites

of those darn mosquitos

against my prize

...well worth the pain and itchwhile my aunt and momwide-eyed can't belivethe amount of stars I'd retrieved.My uncle now,  can hardly walkNo more open spaces, no more fallen starsI often asked about the stars...but they're all gone, gone with  progressgone with time.It saddens meothers will never seethese fallen startsand that the only picturesare forever in my mind.

copyright @2010

Luz Hanaii