no matter, it’s lovely
after all, my life shines best
in retrospective light
through our memory
we live the life we wish we had
there is a sparkling filter
painted over my past
I see my childhood as a montage
flashing and spinning
inside out and upside down
absolutely brimming with color
the de ja vu hits
when I see my old house
I remember the smells,
the lights and the sounds
the present now bores me
the future is frightening
but the past can not hurt me
not while I’m remembering
I forget all those days
I did nothing but wait
for the future to come
when I hated feeling young
a smile breaks upon my face
and I wish I could go back
I forget the tears I cried
and instead, I laugh
the delusion of fun
is the only thing that counts
because, looking back, I lived
like time was running out
--Riley M., 9th-12th Grade