Journey A school is a kind of monster with a belly full of children In the morning it gobbles children up and in the after noon it spits them all out again Me included I walk home taking care when I cross the road Autumn leaves aren’t careful they cross over without looking left or right I open my palms wide to try and catch whirling golden leaves Hey Jesje Lienke the girl from next door bikes past laughing Hey I call back quickly before looking down hopefully hopefully at my hands Completely empty I balance on the edge of the sidewalk The wind teases me and I lose my balance One foot in the sea help I quickly pull it back onto the sidewalk A tall tree grows in the small square next to our house It stands guard Come sun rain wind snow it is there Come anger fear joy sadness it is there I wave to it Its windswept crown waves back I step onto the red gravel of our driveway When you walk on it it sounds like you’re crunching on a cookie I stand in front of the sliding door at the back of the 3
