;
my boyhood,
as distinct from girlhood, girlyhood,
girlyness, ugh ...girls!,
is now rather vague in memory
particularly on particulars
though I still remember feelings
of frustation, confusion, and dissappointment
inflicted by the larger world of grownups

but when me and my buddies
were outside playing
I understood perfectly "our world"

why we built forts galore
stockpiled dirt balls
invented nicknames by the dozen
ragged each other about anything
and everything
especially when someone's mom yelled
"bertrand, or cosmo, or henry cranston
you come home RIGHT NOW!"

and that's when all the confusion,
frustration, and dissappointment began again

grownups just didn't understand anything
of importance to a boy