for Writer's Island: Fireflies

Memories
- - - - - - - - - - - -

Fireflies
winking against
the blackboard
of night

caught
in the jar
of our minds

We are kids
with flashlights
hunting for
nightcrawlers
(wink)

We are teenagers
on a blanket
under pine trees
(wink) (wink)

We are parents
watching fireworks
on the fourth of July,
holding hands
as the kids twirl
their sparklers
(winking)

We are middle aged
parking in a corn field,
where one of us
loses his wallet.
The stars (wink) at us
and blush.

And, now, at almost 60
we unscrew the cap
and watch the fireflies
dance to the evening song
of our memories.