this is just to say
i haven't forgotten this
i haven't forgotten us
i just have the sounds
of wise children in my ear
asking more than
children around me
ever did
about bright futures
and drawbacks of my job
and books
and deeper meanings
and laughter
the good kind of laughter
that doesn't get caught
in your throat
the shared laughter
where you have to
hide the sound of it
with your hand
over your mouth
and you end up
sounding like
ernie from sesame street
which delights
the children more
even though
they don't know why
laughter
the forgotten sound
in memory
of a time
when all was protected
and nothing was lost
(ago)
