Green Like July

Something about the light of this day makes me feel
fourteen again; when we'd walk
everywhere forever & never worry about tomorrow
or the day after. Upon re-examination,

it may be the scent. The air is full of Halloween (the cold
smell that always gets mistaken for "wet".)
Days like today have never heard of A/C units
or soundproof windows.

They have no need for such decadence & will not entertain the thought.

We want four-piece garage bands & girls
we don't know sitting beside us in backseats of cars
being driven by older friends, committed parents.
Give us driving too far in one direction;

a destination, or none. A mission that means nothing
to anyone, but everything to us.
We are good soldiers in this way -- we don't ask
questions. We are here to fight. To serve, indiscriminately.

Something about the light of this day makes me feel
fourteen again, and I can't help but think
of that terrible dream, or the best forgotten memory,
when I was young like I feel now:

A house in a Carolina. A girl I don't know
sitting beside me beneath a willow tree, keeping ourselves
from the rain. And in that moment, I think she kisses me,
but I don't know if this really happens

or if it's just the weather or something like that.