Playground Poem

Tumbled head-first
down the slide again,
Police said “Park is closed!”
then there we were
hiding from headlights
middle-aged and kissing
on a jungle gym.
Once upon a time
I dreamt of swings
Tall big-kid swings
at first grade extra-small
when pushed too hard
they jumped a little
at the top of town
but dreams took me
straight over and around
terror giving way to glee
“Oh, that means sex!”
an ex explained some
twenty years ago,
now here I am
quite shameless on
all piers, train platforms,
parks, and poems
still living for
the fastest ride
the highest climb
the hardest swing.