as if

I asked so many questions,

In those days

In the aftermath

What if–

If I had–

If I hadn't–

So many foolish questions,

As if the world revolved

Around me

golden

When I look back at us as kids

It’s not rose tinted

Or silver lined

But gold tinged,

Like everything’s covered,

Soaked in the warm afternoon

Light that didn’t hit till 7 pm 

In those long summers

It feels like it was always us

When our siblings fought and walked away across

Different sides of the stream

And we stayed 

Unsure, together

We shared our animal figurines

Like they were treasures 

Barefoot on the porch

Climbing on the trampoline

With scraped knees

It was always us

Always you, a little faster 

Playing kick the can, 

Sprinting through the trees,

Racing around the kickball bases, 

A shoe or wrapper thrown on the grass,

Around the house,

Your dog nipping at our heels,

Us trying to reach the trampoline,

Safe

It was always us

Gold hair tinged

Lighter, older

By the sun

Always getting asked

If we were brother and sister

I miss getting asked that

And that gold tinge 

Like you just put on 

Cheap dollar store sunglasses 

And everything looks golden

Like you just took them off