Alisa

it was a warm summer day on Harvard street
I was playing hop scotch when I noticed her walking up
olive colored skin, green eyes and blonde hair.
a little taller than most girls and thin
she was beautiful
she told me her name was Alisa

she lived in the old two story house just down the street from me
with her mother and grandmother
I loved her instantly

soon I was spending my nights and days at her house
one night she awoke me at midnight
so we could go swimming by moonlight
costumed as mermaids
she hid little trinkets in the pool
Alisa often indulged in creating worlds for us to discover

we would stay up late night and discuss other girls
as we came into puberty
I told her how I couldn't use a tampon
she said it's because we're too tight and virgins
and only the little sluts could use them

we would go to Rollertown and skate
and the boys would ask us to couple skate
to songs like another one bites the dust
as I fell to the floor being kind of clumsy
we played Jane of the jungle
what a sight it was watching Alisa swing out on a branch
calling aaa then scream midway when the branch broke
we went sking at China Peak
I almost died that day wanting to get a closer look at the river down below
I sank like quicksand in the soft snow
it was just me and her
last minute reflects saved me that day
later we laughed while tubing down a hill and bumping into a tree
and getting flung off
we made Barbie houses out of boxes
and got high on accident while painting them

then one day a boy moved onto our street
he was pot smoker but he was cute
I could see into his room from my room
wow I had crush on him
but he liked Alisa
well he said if only she had a little more meat on her

it was years I loved and remember well on Harvard street
back when kids could stay out until the street lights came on
I hardly remember the parents presence
it was just us kids

Johnny with the long hair witch for a mom
Sharon impossibly fat and child of horders
Paul. Alisa little brother and skater
my little sisters Corey and Dawn
Sean my crush
the boys next door I forget their names now
the man across street who sat in his yard all day
inviting us kids in for an icecream
we knew better though and keep our distance
Alisa later went to Paris to be a model
I don't know what happened to the other children

it was a time for dreams
a time for summer loves
learning about our bodies
and of moving on

my parents divorced and we moved across town
impossibly far for a kid
who was young and impressionable
I miss her to this day
I wonder how she is

and did her dreams come true?