to be swept away

you'll catch your cold
if you go
out into the rain
without your shoes, your
mother would say.
put your coat on,
your hat.
don't go down to the storm
drain
with your friends.
but it was too late.
we ran
down the street to see how
fast the water
was moving, to put our
feet into it,
and wonder what it would be
like to be swept
away by something.