The Way to Neverland

A short poem about childhood memories.

How do you get to Neverland?

I
Pondering the world on a lazy Saturday afternoon,
My mind ran wild here and there,
Picking up random shreds of thoughts and memories;
My eyes scanned the sky for ideas for a story.
Finally my restless gaze rested upon the profile
Of a woman who reminded me of a toucan.
My mind took that and ran wild.

II
Toucan Sam says “follow your nose!”
But how do you get to Neverland
If you follow your nose?
Can you fly on the back of the scent of childhood?
What does childhood smell like?
A thousand hot summers
In Virginia…
Under the Magnolia trees.
And you have to watch out for the
Grub grub grub worms—
Don’t fall into their holes or
They’ll eat you alive!
Yes… wild strawberries, fairies,
And the crunchy outer shells of cicadas.
That’s the way to Neverland.