Saturday in the Park: A trilogy of Thoughts

P.D. - King of the Park:

These kids…
These kids running around
acting so wild and free
got me thinking
about me
when I was young
and Mama spent all her summer days
chasing down her two sons
over at the park
Columbus Park.
I had no worries
was in no hurry
to grow old and fade like
the sundown.
I was a clown, bouncin’ around
jumpin’ and runnin’
always climbin’ and swingin’ on somethin’.
When we inside
Mama say, “save your outside voice for outside”
well…we outside
and I aint shy!
P.D.! P.D.! I hear Anton callin’
“Hold on…I’m comin!’”
And zzzzzzzzooooooommmmmmmm, there I go
away somewhere I aint suppose to be
when Mama gets distracted by the baby.
Messin’ wit them kids that be, "eeeeeeewwwwwww"
kissin’ in the bushes
they don’t see until Anton starts gigglin’
then they get up and chase him and me.
“Leave me alone Chennelle…or Imma tell yo mama what you been doin’!”
“Who you dink you is ‘lil boy….you aint king of da park!”
Ha ha, what she didn’t know...
What she didn’t know was…
that I was!
Self proclaimed
whenever I stepped on the surface of that park
Columbus Park
There was always like 4 or 5 kids callin’ my name
There was always like 4 or 5 kids hittin’ me up to play a game
4 or 5 kids runnin’ ‘round getting into so many crazy things!
And it was a time when big kids looked after us
a time when we didn’t have to worry ‘bout them shooting us
a time when they blared Michael Jackson from their cars for us
and let us shoot a few hoops without the cussin’ and tryin’ to act all tough.
Yea the park…
Columbus Park.
‘Brother bein’ pushed in the blue baby swing
Mama gives up chasin' me
“'You too fast 'lil boy…too fast!”
Layin' in the grass, starin' at the sun
not knowin' these days weren’t meant to last
not knowin' life wasn’t always gonna be about this kind of fun.
But these kids…
these kids
runnin’ and jumpin’
always climbin’ and swingin’ on somethin'
got me thinking about my days
when I was P.D. - King of the park
Columbus Park.
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Athena:

…And she’s laughing so loud
running up and down the field
as the little boy stops to catch his breath
“boy, she’s quick! She aint ever gonna be it!”
I smile at his weezing words with a bit of pride…”I tell you what, tag me and I’ll do it.”
Here I go…she sees me coming for her
and waits
and waits
and wouldn’t you know it…this girl has the nerve to give ME a pump fake!
There she goes
fast like I never was
freestylin’ hair, flowing
long legs burning the grass
in her black and silver glitter Reeboks.
Chasing her down I remember when
we just wanted her to stand
but she started to run before she could walk
there she goes...
Yelling into the wind, “Catch me if you can Daddy!”
And I do
but as the years go by
it gets harder and harder to.
One day she will run and run and run
until a precious daughter’s shadow fades with the sun.
But holding back the tears, I’m thankful that all that is a long ways away
for I refuse to give in to the pump fake today.
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First Love:

Blue eyes I remember well
playing the young man’s game of first love
with picnics in the park.
Your soft skin was my first conception of Heaven
as your smile stole away every piece of my heart.
romance was two innocent youths laying on a blanket
sharing thoughts and dreams
paying attention to nothing outside our frame.
The older folks would say, “all that’s nice…but it’s just a phase.”
Love made me blind, but I was happy I could not see
for I had you to walk with me
for a while…
Blue eyes I remember well
how I loved being 16, holding hands and spending time with you.
In hindsight, with so many years gone by, the old folks were right
our love failed
but on days like this
when the air is pleasantly warm
and the sun begins to yawn
and there are young lovers laying together on a blanket off in the distance
I think of you
for there was enough joy and beauty in the affections
that were “nice…but just a phase”
to feel blessed, and keep in my heart
those cherished days of picnics in the park.