The Cicadas.

Went to school with holes in my Shirts, 

Shorts, Socks, and my clearance Nike Shoes.

Used to think free lunch made me lucky,

I still think that.

Walks to the park beside my house

were the same as Disneyland.

Biking down scary gravel paths,

Gave me as much thrill as 

Falling off a rollercoaster.

Biking with a broken bike does that.

Bootleg movies in Spanish in the living room

Were better than the theaters.

The living room also functioned as

The dining room, and the perfect place

For our family camping trips.

Sleeping bags in the living room 

Kept us warm through the winter.

The summers were the hardest. 

The cicadas at night used to scare me.

The open window scared me-

Until a cool night time breeze broke in the room.

Didn’t need ambient sleep music,

I had the fan on medium.