Pine-needle strewn path
winds through the woods.
Morning dew intensifies
their piney mustiness and
I’m reminded of the days
playing in the “back woods”
behind my house as a child.
 
Trails led us throughout
to the low-shaded canopy
of the Florida scrub where
we dug “forts” in the cool,
white sand.  We gathered
and spread soft pine needles
to cover and cushion our floor.
 
The summers were
blistering but digging
down just a few inches,
the cool earth
offered respite in the shade.
We’d crawl back in the
brush that blocked the sun
and if a breeze blew
through it was even
more pleasant.
 
A wide, cleared path
took us to the abandoned,
dilapidated house that
generally we stayed
clear of…we had made
up frightening stories of
the place that even we
had started to believe.
 
Another trail took us on a
shortcut to Caldwell’s,
our favorite “five and dime”
to purchase penny candy
that was handed to us in
small, brown paper bags.
We’d sit within our dugout room
in the woods and swap sweets
and chew great gobs of bubble gum.
 
Sometimes we would
start an exclusive “club”
back there in the clearings
we had so tediously created.
But would end up including
everyone because how could
you leave your sad, baby
sister sitting outside?
 
We climbed trees,
lounging in the boughs of
old oaks and laid there
for hours as if in the
arms of a comforting elder.
 
We told secrets to each
other and “pinky swore”
to never tell anyone.
And we never did.

Open Link Night at dVerse Poets is hosted by Tashtoo today.  Join in with any poetic offering of your choice.  http://dversepoets.com/2013/02/19/open-link-night-week-84/