I wonder around the park

wrapped in fog

of my own,

drawn to a sandbox -

I think this is where I’ll find it

 

A discarded toy shovel

bent from building dreams

half buried -

and I begin to dig

thinking maybe

this is where I’ll find it

 

I dig 

The top sand warm

cool and moist deeper

I dig

Long silver ribbons of laughter,

childish chatter and screams

the playground around me

is a world away

I dig

 

Starting from the center

spiraling around and around

slowly sifting the sand through my fingers

I dig

thinking maybe

this is where I’ll find it

 

Whatcha doin, mister?

Shading his eyes against the bright sun

s young child

Watching me

I dig

I’ll find it somewhere.

Oh.

I really must find it

Oh.

I dig

 

The sand is comforting

easy to sift through

but I must be careful of

broken glass or

dreams or -

maybe that corner

is where I’ll find it.

 

Be careful, mister

my mama told me to be careful cause

sometimes there are dragons and

things

buried -

maybe over there

is where you lost it.

 

By and by I just dig

careless of care

or cause

content in the flowing warmth

of the shifting sand

until alert to…

maybe here is where I’ll find it

 

I digged to the bottom once, mister

the boy startles me -

and found a shiny rock

brown and red and yellow -

My mama likes rocks - pretty rocks

but I couldn’t get it out

I just looked at it -

Haven’t cha finded yet

where ya lost it?

 

The sun warmed sand invites me

to surrender my search

just stretch out and dream

forgetting covered dragons

and brown and red and yellow rocks

and that maybe

this is where I’ll find it.

 

I dig

Perhaps half of the sandbox

And I’m very tired

patience, persistence

will surely be rewarded

I dig

 

Hey, mister, I gotta go home

starting to walk slowly away.

Again I am startled -

I pause, look up,

“Thanks for your help,”

I offer.

He turns and continues walking.

I dig

 

Then running, his bucket swinging

He stops at the edge of the trees

turns

Hey, mister

Loudly shattering the silence

Didja ever think maybe

ya got the wrong

sandbox?