15

Jachchole... 15 already, and I've just started being. Got everything I wanted too. Sunflowers, emeralds, blackforest cake. White, lots of it. It even rained in the afternoon, just the right kind of rain. And when we came outside the dust had started to hiss away into the air, the buildings were sharp to see and there was that smell of hot wetness around. I was only one day older than the fourteen-year-old I had been on 15th May, 2007. I don't dare be too presumptuous about my wisdom already. I like my little corner just fine, thank you.

We set sail together one clear April day
To where the green water's a sweet-salty brine,
In a rocky old dinghy; oh what a beginning
With gay sun and high tide and sparkling white wine.

And all that we had was a blue parasol,
An old silver hubcap our mirror to be,
His dog, called Socrates; we know where the bait is,
And Cuban cigars that we'll throw to the sea.

We picked up the line and we let loose the song,
Slid on the wide rocks that stood wetly bare.
So wade in the shallows; the ripples will follow
Below the sharp lightning in clean summer air.

Then back through the silk waves we pleated again,
In darkness and lightness, the chasing began.
With proud breath and wild brow, oh what do you see now?
A ragged-bright lady, a gray-eyed young man.