When hourglass sands were mostly in the top
and life was like a poem penned for me,
when forests beckoned friends and me, “Come play,”
love of adventure ruled and I felt free.

When rainbow colors filtered through the trees
and Nature served to thrill, fulfill, and teach,
imagination wove grand tapestries
and—for a time—all seemed within my reach.

********************

Let children have their dreams and fantasies.
They’ll grow up soon enough and see what’s true.
May each define “success” and work for it,
find joy, and keep those rainbow hues in view.

Janice Canerdy is a retired high-school English teacher from Potts Camp, Mississippi. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications, including Light Quarterly, The Road Not Taken, Lyric, Parody, Bitterroot, the Society of Classical Poets Journal, Westward Quarterly, Lighten Up Online, Halcyon Days, Penwood Review, the Mississippi Poetry Society Journal, Whispering Angel Books, and Quill Books. Her book, Expressions of Faith (Christian Faith Publishing), was published in 2016.