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By Alex B
summertime brought french braids
my forgotten sunkissed boyhood
whispered quietly to the strawberry moon
french braids to swim faster
play harder
jump higher
smile wider
because summertime curls have a mind of their own
thick salty air gave my dark tresses a piece of her mind
telephone wires twisting down my neck, a cupped hand secret
on the bus
“pinky promise you won’t tell?”
summertime brought french braids
my curls were stitched into a friendship bracelet
every morning by camp counselors
i would sit between their knees as their fingers wove
the familiar pattern
left over middle
gather
right over middle'
gather
left over middle
gather
the only time you would catch me sitting still
right over middle
“quiet coyote!”
gather
“everyone listen to-”
left over middle
“croc-a-dilly-oh-my”
gather
tied with a hair tie
right over middle
or a silly band
gather
or a stray piece of embroidery thread tied in a knot
summertime brought french braids
french braids to laugh louder
hug tighter
stand taller
breathe deeper.