Emma Beverage - When I Was Young

When I was young;
I climbed the clothes line pole, then
I would pull myself up to the top of the house,
run across the roof and leap to the ground.
My feet burned with pain!
But my older brother and sister were doing it
so I did it again and again.
When I was young;
My father moved us out to the woods.
Where we lived like wild Indians
in harmony with squirrels and birds.
Even the mosquitoes ignored us, but
they swarmed the weekend tourist.
This made us laugh, because - that made us special.
When I was young;
I saw the biggest, blackest, most gorgeous cat!
I held out my hand and called, “here kitty, kitty, here kitty.”
I tried to sneak up on that cat.
The cat stood, looking at me, with big, yellow eyes
until I got too close, then silently, gracefully
turned to disappear into the forest.
When I was young;
My mom packed up our camp.
moved us to another campsite.
To keep her babies safe,
from my big, black cat, which she called “Panther! ”
Told me how lucky I was, that he had not decided
to have me, for lunch!
When I was young;
I must have absorbed “Panther’s” spirit.
It abides in me though none can see it.
Made me strong, invincible, self-reliant.
And gave me “nine lives! ”

Emma Beverage

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/when-i-was-young-2/