Faded

lii

Can you hear

The sounds of

Summer fading away?

You've just

Captivated me

And won't let go

Like the leaves

That cling to their

Branches despite

The wind tugging at them

So they might

Let go.

Will you sit 

With me at Oscar 

River while

I tell you

What really happened

To Lauren?

Will you hold me 

As I cry?

Maybe summer

Can stay a little

Longer.

I want to

Prolong the number of days

Until that time comes.

So for now,

You  stay with us

In the day.

Our group

Talk by the 

Lake,

Eat ice-cream in the park

And wander through

The town 

And think 

Of as many ways as

We can to do things

For free.

School is not

There to put up those barriers.

Society cannot prevent

Us from being

Friends, anymore.

So we go out and

Do things.

You, for example,

Know the man

Who owns the Marina Boat house-

Because you know everyone-

And you

Managed to persuade him to

Allow us to take two

Of the toppers out.

The four of us

Sail over to the Islands

Most days.

We go swimming

And explore

And talk about things

I never thought you

Would hear us say.

Will and Lauren

Have, to some degree,

Accepted you

But they treat you

As a stranger,

An old friend,

At most.

When you talk to me,

I reply with quiet words

Like the

Lambent

Sun trapped in

The undulations

Of the Lake.

Don't think I don't want 

You

Because I'm sure

My constant red 

Cheeks

Speak for me.

The fact is I'm

Scared of being a 

Huge disappointment.

Scared that you have

Other reasons

For taking an interest in

Me.

But I just want you

To know,

I am, indeed,

Falling for you

Further and further after

Every day spent with you

In the sun.

And now,

I am just waiting

Until 

We hit the ground.

Maybe Summer will

Extend its stay.

Maybe you will,

Too.

I don't want you to leave.

I don''t want these days to

End.

I don't want the ground

To come rushing up to meet me.

(found under a bush at Wild Cherry Park)