asked to tell
a truth
and a lie
he froze
he passed until
everyone else
had gone
then shared
two maybe
childhood tales
one calmly told
slow and sparse
in detail
another spilled
in a rush of words
and breath
the truth
was voted on
and confirmed
and a long sigh
released
i wonder
how long
he had been
holding it in
do it
make them
choose
let them know
where you stand
and make them
choose
she had him strapped on
chest and belly against hers
arms and legs spread
socks-covered feet dangling
at the sides of her waist
neon fabric and stitching
hugged his soft back
while long black straps flowed
under his arms, over hers
crossing her back
and wrapping around
his diapered bottom
he was only half through
his mid-morning bottle
but already the muscles
in his neck and eyelids
were returning to the
relaxed state they still
knew so well
i finally gave you that tour
of my backyard last night
but it was nothing like
the one i’d been promising
there were no fruiting trees
no lush green canopies
no unnamed plants with
unknown culinary uses
we walked across the hillside
as it was twenty years ago
when the adjacent plots
only housed blooming cacti
and wild grass gone to seed
i’d forgotten the way the land
sloped under foot and gaze
before the fences were raised
moments, like thoughts
flow, one into another
we have always been
who we will become
but who we become
may yet be a surprise
loosing the binds 