Breadcrumb #641

NATE ERWIN

Your Mickey Mouse hip-hop t-shirt / cheesin’ in Ms. Berry’s class photo / I loved you. 
You lived on the crook of Hickock Road / between pines and hay bales. / Out on the T-ball field / (what outfielders we were!) / we sat with fireflies, Little Hug drinks, / and the lines 
of Langston Hughes / and you told me, I’m scared to go home, / What your dad did at night. / 
I couldn’t catch that yet.

All I could do was laugh with you & pluck / the cooling night-grass / pull down the sleeves of the earth, / fill our Tioga T-ball hats with the stuff, / & crown ourselves with the blinking tree-sun / & leaves of grasses. Grasses that spread / from third base to the trailer I’d move away from /                          & never hear from you, / my love, / again. 

This morning, I filled my hat for you / & let the night-grass tumble-roll past my ears,
                    /
my eyes, / my soul.