Chasing You Up Fish Creek Hill

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Gripping the wheel
with both hands
as the highway
gives off to obedience
and eventually, a dirt road.
 
Along Usery Pass.
 
Back roads to Broadway,
past Crummy's cafe,
which doesn't open until lunchtime.
 
Schoolyard playground
is fair game to whoever
can scale its six foot fence.
 
Finally, a faded house,
canon of my youth,
stands justly pale
against the Four Peaks
mountain range.  Backdrop
of my childhood, where
everything began.
 
We persevered here, Jennifer.
Sunflower girl.  Sister
 
I remember most
chasing you up
Fish Creek Hill,
and you laughing
your faithful laugh,
tone of wheat hair
rising.
 
Of course,
we outgrew it.
 
The mediocre town
in the middle of no place.
 
Of course,
we left.
 
Our paths
slowly sectioning
away,
 
ever since.


© Lisa Zaran

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