Childhood

Childhood

There was always something about the blue Iowa sky. 

In 2005 I couldn’t stop staring at it. 

I’d ride my bike all the way to Dad’s prairie, 

marveling at how the sky stretched and melted into 

raspberry rays of gold at sunset. I could hear Checkers 

crow and all I really wanted to do was sit in the grass

and watch the clouds melt away into stars. 

These two acres of land was a refuge on the outskirts 

of Ankeny. Back then, there was only a cornfield and deer. 

Now there’s trails and duplexes and light pollution. 

I would carry my red-wired egg basket and think 

about the time grandma said, Oh, Ober. 

Don’t be such a nincompoop, because grandpa was 

joking about the times he’d go barefoot.

I collected the eggs and headed back.

Still staring at the sky.  

Still marveling at the beauty, 

humanity is so desperate to hide.

xx. Rae Iolene

13 April 2026