the fever

when you were nine
or ten
you developed a fever
for the girl
next door.
she was a year
a older than
you, but
way beyond what
you could imagine.
you gave her a ring.
a ring that you
found lying
in the street,
you shined it
up with ivory
liquid in the kitchen
sink. it was the
only period of time
in your life
when you were not
afraid to give
a girl a ring.
but you were young
then, maybe nine,
maybe ten
and you had a fever
for her. you are
still waiting for
that fever to appear
again.