red sting

Aged hands with porcelain skin,
(because ladies stayed out of the sun),
hold fast the Mecuricome bottle.

Onto my skinned knee, the red sting.
"Blow!", instructs Grandmother to my cousins.
Nine mouths blow germs at my torn skin,
their breaths sounding like a steam engine,
punctuated by giggles and shoves.

Then back to playing on the hillside,
aunts and uncles watching,
ice cream churning,
laughter and story-telling as background music
to a Southern childhood.

I survive - joyously!