I am from the peak of the playground -- where I was queen...

where I wore that pink puffed up princess gown, waltzing, as if wearing diamonds…
please, tell me, why would I want to grow up?

From the studio --  where I was a dancer…
where I sprung around in my ballet shoes, power bursting from my toes, and happiness beaming
from my smile…
so why, oh why, would I ever even think of growing up?

I am from the winding staircase -- where I was a human bullet…
where I was shot down in a sleeping bag, slick, supersonic, feet crumbling through the wall,
where the winding begun, but my feet did not yet get the memo...
why, tell me why, I would want to grow up?

From oodles of family-get-togethers -- where we lived in a time zone lacking clocks…
where our tardiness endured unbroken, but when we arrived, nothing in the world could defer
such enchantment...
I cringed at the thought of growing up. Why would I want to?

I am from “It’s not the things you say, but the way you say it” -- where I was the sassy teenager…
where Jonesy wanted me, along with my smart-alecky attitude, to move out when I was 13, so
silly I was not to appreciate her…
but why, mom, why would I want to grow up?

From Jonesy, and JDan -- where I didn’t need a dad…
where having that title of ‘father’ was not a gold pass to treat family as scuzz, where I still had
power bursting from my toes as I walked away...
...I realized I needed to grow up...

I am from independent humans -- where I was my own road map…
where I decided where I wanted to go, when, for what reason, and how to get there…
...is it possible that I grew up?...

From unbounded “goodnight’s” -- where I was notably loving…
where my self-diagnosed-OCD kicked in, and slipping my lips every night was, “Jonesy, I love
you my love never stops”...
...stops. My love never stops. But did my childhood?...

I am from the peak of the playground -- where I was queen...
where I wore that pink puffed up princess gown, waltzing, as if wearing
diamonds…
But my playground is a different playground. Diamonds are different diamonds. I will remain
queen, but queen in a divergent castle.