Down the road
through the forest
over a boulder
and through the branches
lies a meadow

The meadow dotted with daisies
and emerald green grass
that ripples with the wind

through the center
a creek bubbles over rocks and stones
hurrying to the cover of trees

once children played here
the hands that made fairy houses
and splashed in the water
the eyes that glittered like starlight
and explored nooks and crannies for goblins
the mouths that giggled at fish
and babbled happy words of youth
but now there is sadness
for those days are gone

the flowers come
the leaves bloom
but they do not return

where did they go?
these two sprites of youth

they grew and forgot their childish games
one went to war
a man’s game
the other became a wife and mother
the woman’s claim

so the meadow lies forgotten
waiting for new days
when adults remember their childish games
and never forget what awaits in the meadow