Some Kids are the Ant. Some Kids are the Finger that Smushes Them.

a blueberry flavor-ice stained any tongue teal
a countless amount of times. mine is stained
right now while I am sitting in a tree,
almost close enough to reach the highest branch.

my feet dangle and swing
as I let the artificial taste drip into my open mouth
and sink in. it makes me feel like a child. I wait
for the sugar rush to kick in as you climb to meet me.

your tongue is teal too and I wonder
where you get the sweet sugar yourself. you reach
for my branch and we sit in the quiet breeze,
staring at everything and nothing.

cars drive by on the street ahead, children play
on the swings behind and we sit, ants crawling
where skin meets tree. you smush the ants
that crawl on you. I let them crawl on me, freely.

why are you so scared of ants?

                                       tessa juliane