It’s the Real Thing
brick wall-fenced back yard
oval daylily bed
looping two tall pines
monkey grass border
trampoline from grandparents
for jumping with friends
between bike rides
rabbit hutch
that didn’t last long
carpeted thick centipede
for running barefoot
post-nailed chalkboard
for playing school
stolen chalk from church
disk tree swing
where we sang the Coke song
“it’s the ree-yal thang,”
spinning in circles
fig tree
for making “strawberry pigs”
picnic table
for scraping scales, cleaning fish
a place to grow up
to sit outside with Bridgette,
our Schnoodle
and plot my next moves
First Baptist Church pastorium
at 208 Martin Street
St. Simons Island, Georgia
carefree island childhood
Common Threads 