WE NEVER REALLY GROW UP,
WE ONLY LEARN HOW TO ACT IN PUBLIC

Childhood is the kingdom
where nobody dies

What do you want to be when you grow up?
I don’t want to grow up. I just want to play.

I want to seek and discover
every unpounded nail,
explore every twig, snail,
and slug under every rock.

I want to curl up with a dog
and purring cat, whimper
and whisper to them
until we fall asleep in bed.

I want to fly with a flock
of drunken fireflies
and careen down every hill
just for the thrill.

I want to laugh till I cry
and pee in my pants,
and reach for every rainbow
I can see in the sky.

I want to suck on a lollypop,
twirl till I’m dizzy, play pick-up-sticks,
poke, pinch and punch my kid brother,
go berserk for no reason at all.

I want to be swept away with giggles
that never end, just be plain silly,
and bop around like balls
that light up in a pinball machine.

And never go to work
with a noose around my neck,
adding and subtracting numbers
for daddy’s ridiculous boss.