Kingdoms of Crayon and Cloud

We built forts from laundry baskets

and capes from towels,

declaring kingdoms on kitchen tiles,

ruling with juice-box wisdom

and macaroni crowns.

We marched with dandelion spears,

into backyards turned wild jungles,

roaring at wind-chimes

like brave explorers,

feet muddy with glory.

In sidewalk chalk runes

we summoned secret spells—

ice cream rains,

bubble beasts,

and hopscotch portals

to upside-down worlds.

We chased shadows

that looked like griffins,

hid messages in cereal boxes,

traded giggles like treasure

under the sun-bleached swing set sky.

Our laughter flew like paper planes,

carrying wishes past the treetops,

into the hush of star-pricked dusk

where lightning bugs blinked

like enchanted code.

We curled like commas

on blanket-raft beds,

floating on hush and hush

as lullabies swam through air.

And before sleep claimed us,

we pinky-promised

to meet in tomorrow's dreams—

barefoot and brave

beneath the moon’s soft smile.