Stars Staying Safe

remember that feeling

of wanting to give your

first grade teacher

a gift

every five

fucking minutes?

a little box of

chocolates from k-mart

a homemade

whatever

from art

class

a fistful of dead dandelions

from

morning recess

on

and

on

oh

that feeling of

wanting to give

and show somebody

what

you feel

without wanting anything

back and only

then you'll

understand

stars

staying safe

that one night

at church as well

august 197something

i won

a giant candy bar

for memorizing the most

bible verses

at vacation

bible school

i almost

puked from the

excitement

no shit

stomach ready

to blow

upfront

with a construction-paper

crown on my head

reciting

all that wonder

for strangers and others

me some

biblical

genius

and that giant candy bar

the planet

i came from

ladies and

gentlemen

genesis 5:24

and enoch walked with god

and he was not

for god took him

still remember

that one

to this day