Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Conversation with a six year old.

“I want to be 100 years old”
and my reply is “someday you may”
my voice reminding my mind
that he is only six years old
and I was six once, barefoot
picking wild strawberries
along the ditch, swatting mosquitoes
with pink fingertips

and he nods in understanding
while I explain that people die every day
accidents, falls and disease,
their bodies weakened by old age
he pauses and shrugs, reminding me
that he is six years old
for but a brief moment

he is young and I will never be again,
so I wait for him to ask the inevitable

“what happens when you die”
and it’s my turn to shrug
reminding myself
that I don’t know anything

and he tells me with a wry grin
that he wants to come back as a falcon


7 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. you may be young again someday. just maybe ;)

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  3. Hello, sorry I'm late for the party (and uninvited)... but it looks as if it is far from finished!
    Since retro-commenting seems to be a faux-pas in the blogging world, I'll refrain from doing so, but there are several thought provoking and inspired pieces here. I'll be sure to catch your next posts.
    Would you mind if I asked if this piece is fiction or reality based?

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  4. @Alesa ~ there are no rules in this blog! And it's based on real life events. ;)

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  5. Duly noted. 'Twas an artful articulation of reality this... No wonder it was so believable.

    I'll retro post as I read through a second time. "Touching the Art, the all rules barred blogging experience". Cheers!

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