Anywhere and Everywhere

Grass

The old stuff that the gym teacher called

Mother Nature’s hair

We sat on the field

Tearing it out

Ripping it up

Tossing it into the wind

I wasn’t listening or obeying directions

And the grass just so happened

To be the victim of that

Particular rebellion

Grass

At my old house

My friend walked barefoot

Moseying in the side yard saying

I’m allergic to it

But only if it rubs

On my skin or

I roll down the hill

Which is exactly

What we had been doing that day

I brushed over the grass with

My own bare feet

And didn’t believe her

Grass

The clippings were flying around

Sticking to our shorts or

Clinging to our sneakers

My teacher complained

You all smell like

Earth and sweat

Not really fair to say

To kids who always

Had to go out to recess

No matter the weather

Or whether or not

The groundskeepers were busy

Mowing the lawn of

The entire school

Grass

The most surprising thing

About throwing myself

Into his arms

That dead October night

Was the lushness

Underneath my socks

As the tiny strands supported me

Pushed me lifted me

Up to hold him

By the neck

I could feel the shivers

Down my arms

As I lost myself

In the strands

Of his thick hair

I trembled, the goosebumps prickling

Feeling tingles in my toes

Standing in my socks

On the crisp cold grass