puddles tender_square the schoolyard had this expansive field with dips that gathered enormous puddles after heavy rain. brea and i asked if we could go there and run through them that weekend, but dad said no. the day was warm and we knew those ponds would evaporate before too long. we dressed in old clothes anyway, ripped and stained garments we wore to bed, said we were going to the park to play. dad was happy we were occupied, he didn’t ask questions. we ran across the fields in barefoot abandon and slid into the muddied grasses, nature’s slip-n-slide, laughing while we splashed on our own private swim. we lay back in the murky water, eyes drawn to passing clouds, our hands scooping up rain. that’s when brea and i noticed the worms wiggling through our fingers. that’s when we ran from the pools shrieking. 220423 what's it to you? who go blather from