Challenging Poetry

imaginary friends

when we were young,
the woods behind the house
were full of dragons and mud pies
and flights into imagination would last
forever and always—even past bedtime,
and we'd run together laughing
at everything . . .

but things changed,
and you grew out of
mud fights and chasing dragons
and into grown-up things
and I was left wandering the woods
alone, running after the echo
of your laugh.

April 15—Lament