Why Remember

I remember sword fighting
with maraschino cherry stems
coca-cola cocktail swords

I remember dirt clod afternoons
punching loose teeth
and skateboard bloody knees

I remember diagnosis
wetting sheets
and fear of needles

I remember bowling alleys
scary movies
backyard cookouts

I remember clumsy kisses
musty basements
careless summer months

I remember happiness
in fallen leaves
crunching beneath my feet

I remember my first fist fight
choking on a cigarette
my first time getting high

I remember mischief
breaking bottles
behind supermarkets

I remember
my first heartache
the emptiness inside

Dwell, I can’t help but…
I mean well
but I can’t change my makeup

Why remember
the words
to a forgotten dream

I remember
because it’s
a poem I need to breathe

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