12. Lay me down in the tall grass

Chores and school took plenty of hours and yet
there were always more hours and more and more,
the gate through the pasture being a magical door
through which clocks could not follow. A whetted

pocket knife, Army canteen, and pack
of Archways and a day went on forever.
Wearing a wristwatch, I swear, severs
us from the world. In the woods out back

I was knight and dragon, jockey and horse, dream-
body, gravity-spurner, wingspanner,
fire-breather, panther, sword-dancer,
always the village saved, the hostage redeemed.

In the wide meadows, wolves, in the hedgerows, giants,
in the timber wild boars and bears. Though held
captive at school in the woods I could rebel.
Hiding in the wheat I was striped, and defiant.