1983

twenty-four years ago
first day of school
in champlin 1983
a new school

third grade for me
wearing
a new et t-shirt
a new pair of shoes
a new backpack

kindergarten for melissa
in her new blue sweater
new pants
and new smurfette bag
beyond cute

smile for the camera
say cheese
i missed my friends
from second grade in
brooklyn center
at my old school

don’t ever look back
you can never go home again
is what they always say
forward not backward
you’re a big kid now

we would be in champlin
for only one year
before the move to
little falls
where life and school would feel
like a death sentence
until high school graduation
1992

pac-man all the rage in the arcades
return of the jedi playing in all the theatres
the dukes of hazard must see tv
stevie nicks, culture club, duran duran
rocking on the radio

when you are young
the possibilities are endless
no, can’t, impossible
simply do not exist
sweet dreams (are made or this)