running daisy chains
up my spine,
sunlight halos
on our heads.
pounding feet
against new green
& crows above
singing the direction
of the wind.
the tingle
of small, excited hands
set to gathering.
we tread edges
of parks,
climb bottoms
of trees,
follow the skuttle
of forgotten tennis balls.
we string Ravyn Lenae
between our ears,
lulled by the
sudden sun.
afternoon kaleidoscope of
watching
running
resting
reading.
heartstrings drawn,
a fluid triangle
invading green spaces
like curious amoeba
Lauren Franzen is a birth doula and breastfeeding educator and lives with her young family in an intentional community in Woodlawn. She is deeply inspired by Gwendolyn Brooks and tries to carve out space in her busy days for reading, writing, and quilting.