when i wore skinned knees

and cat t-shirts with unpunny slogans-

“are you kitten me right meow?”-

there. that was when i climbed trees;

possibly thousands of miles and years ago.

i was too stupid to be scared of anything,

but then, maybe that was why i never got truly

                                                             hurt.

     and those were the days 

i could keep a clear mind, 

and go as far up as i willed,

but last week i tried to climb again

        and my cat-less shirt got snagged on a branch,

                     and my weary thoughts got snagged on you.