Recess Kids

Recess Kids

I entered my mind and stood on the playground.
and felt no surprise to see Fear and Hope
running ‘round aimless, chasing each other.

And it was a comfort, to see Pain and Pleasure
balancing on the green teeter totter
smiling at me, no problem there!

Not Praise and Blame, holding the top of
the steel monkey bars. Yelling and screaming
at us and each other, the top of their lungs!

At least they weren’t kicking
pebbles and dust up, like Gain and Loss,
getting too dizzy, riding the spinner,

the other kids watching,
patiently waiting,
for their dizzy turn.

But Fame and Disgrace?

Fame and Disgrace?

They weren’t allowed to come out this hour.
corralled in the classroom, nose in the corner,
having been caught cheating this morning,