Doorknob

when we used to build giant forts
with one board in the middle
holding everything up
my litle sister toddled around inside, laughing
when the girls at school always
wanted to play kissing games
the boys liked it, really
but never told anyone
I always fell, but never broke a bone
out of the big tree
two stories high
when I was showing off in the rain
out of the little tree
with the bees' nest on top
out of my bunk bed
onto my head
out of the play structure next door
onto a pile of boards
my little sister walked over to the couch
where I lay helpless
she had a combination lock
and banged it on my head
again and again
I cried then
but I laugh now.
when we were eight we spied on the little kids
with our secret codes and clubs
we played color witch
hot lava monster
the lost kids.
but soon it looked stupid for us to run around
climbing over fences
dodging behind trees
doing somersaults up hills
flying from limb to limb
so we went inside to watch TV
forgot our games
dismissed our dreams
and left the little kids
outside