Aug 1 01'

　Thoughts from a 12 year old

Shelling peas and snapping beans at Aunt Julia’s

For lunch, tomatoes oozing on the plate

So fresh and red you can taste them before the fork gets to your mouth

With ham and field peas that you just shelled

and cold southern ice tea

Apple pie still warm from the oven

With hand cranked vanilla ice cream melting on top

Then, sitting on the front porch

The evening sun fading

The katydids starting to sing

Waving at the occasional car that passed

Crawling between freshly ironed sheets

Smelling clean and fresh

a scent that can only come from being

hanging on the clothesline

As your eyes close

all the world you know is pure and fresh and innocent

you wake up early in the morning

With a smile and gladness your heart

knowing that the knew day will bring only goodness

and the only trouble you can get into

is sneaking off to the swimming hole

the only guilt you feel

is being fussed at cause’ your parent’s worried

even that doesn’t last long