running wild in the streets

it was nothing

to scrape

a knee, an elbow, a chin

when

falling off

a bike or skateboard,

or when

playing

kickball in the street

or four square,

running wild,

playing tag

or hide and seek.

who didn't have

welts from bee stings?

who didn't bleed?

we all had scabs back then.

war wounds

from the summers

when we ran

wild

in the alleys and in

the streets.