in the toy aisle

eyes light up

so do the toys

screeches and screams

of girls and boys

pleas to parents

and sorry rejections

children cry while

parents offer affections

an older kid

not like the rest

ventures in

picks up a chest

arms full of toys

eyes full of wonder

he comes back to me

and buries me under

tons of toys

and childhood joys

he comments on the kids

how they scream and shout

“we weren’t like that”

he exclaims

“we could live without”

he goes back in

calls for me to join him

i shake my head no

he throws a minion

he pulls at my arm

with brotherly love

i tell him no

he gives me a shove

i stumble in

he laughs, i smile

and we become kids again

in the toy aisle

#childhood #freeverse