the board game of life

as children

we gathered around the table

and played

board games.

chess and checkers,

clue. candy land.

the game of life

being one

of our favorites.

we moved our little blue

or pink cars

around the board,

going to school,

getting jobs, getting married

having children,

life being

a bowl of cherries as you

rolled the dice

and moved forward

with your imaginary life.

there was no stop at the rehab

facility,

the AA meeting,

no surgical transitioning,

changing blue

to pink.

no lawyers involved,

no Snap benefits to worry about.

no wars to go to,

no catastrophes,

no divorces.

no rainbow or Palestinian

flags flew.

no one went hungry

or lived under

a bridge.

all of that came later after

the game

was put away on the top

shelf of the closet

never to be played again.