the most vivid of my memories

cherry city was cherriless

instead characterized by the sun

the stucco

the dry, brown lawns in summer

my childhood is a palette of light pink, tangerine, faded green

a painting

of solid blue sky

ivy lined freeways

oak trees and golden grass

a creek on a sunny day

i grew up with california poppies in the front yard

skinned knees from the city hall parking lot

hours spent in the library

cats lounging on the street

my bow squealed on the strings of my violin

tetherball chains clanked on lazy days

honky tonk faded from the kitchen to my room

when it rained we ran outside with bare feet and t-shirts

hoping

wishing

thinking the drought was over at last

and it wasn’t

but it was always flooded to me