At nightfall

At nightfall we run with abandon.
We feel alive and invincible,
unaware of our own fragility.
Walking on a wire, we coax that 
necessary bravery 
to balance the task and the act.

At nightfall we run with abandon.
The amusement rides lit up and flashing
Old relics of a bygone era
Still functioning with a dated beauty.

The blossom disappears underfoot in the dark.
I try to save it and place it in my pocket 
for protection, for safekeeping, 
unaware that my own reckless abandon 
could still crush it as my heart beats in my chest.

Laughing and playing,
Feeling alive and free.
I plucked that blossom.
Some beauty spoke to me.
A language that you were mine
for the taking.
And I acted on that urgency.

At nightfall we run with abandon,
not knowing what tomorrow brings.
How flashing lights were to sparkle never again.
How fun summer nights were limited.

Childhood seems so random.
Our family, so random.
The choice is not ours.
And we grow up together
Awkward in our adult-shaped bodies.

Our minds want to stay light.
To play with reckless abandon,
not knowing how short one life is
compared to the next.