before

before the needs

of those next to you

costume your daydreams

before worries

like baseball cards

are what boys collect

before white ladies

in alleys call police

on arbor day actitivies

before suits

& shiny shoes stop your

stories to entitle

before every space

is the space of another

before the door's

reflection explains

alone

before your parent's

hatred

ruins the weddings

before apple faced girls

shame you for dancing

before holidays

gather agreived

in trophied basements

before their history

tacitly commits arson

before you learn

to fireproof,

separate your whites,

& dodge calls

before time

out of mind constructs

paper escape pods

& little songs

before you kept

the secret

neverwas

safe

&

sound

before