Cool cave air curls around
my face as the sun heats up
my back; blending sensations
swirling across my skin, raising
goosebumps and tempting me
to close my eyes, giving in
momentarily to reverie: my
mind drifting back to childhood
when I stood in the creek, the
chill of water a relief to summer
heat, rock paint smeared across
my face, ready for adventure.
The raucous laughter and calls
of children engaged in some
detailed game pulls me back
into the present where I sit on
my rock, still ready for adventure,
but now understanding the
constraints of time.