At 18, uncertainty was assured
Innocence ignored like curfews
and illuminated street lights
We were young
Bodies mirrored untraveled curvy roads
So we took day trips that lasted weeks
Sometimes a month or two
Until we ran out of gas
Then we refueled in another town
Dazzled by new scenery
Tickled by texture
Tortured with tightness
In secret we questioned our affinity
Pondered the meaning of dreams
Filled with leg locks
Shades of brown, red and gold
But we remember the charcoal color most
Dark and shiny
Boasting of rebellion
Feeling good against our man skin
Rubbing troubles away
Like kittens nuzzling
Against us
Leading us into a fantasy
We were in our element
At home
Being inside and surrounded
Yet exposed
But still safe
The protector protected
By warrior woman
Wild
Free
Oblivious to her own power
And beauty
But now as we stroke smoothness
Still in awe
But longing for the past
We sadly eye
The bottles, creams
And devices
That killed our buzz
Cut off our link
To the exotic
Unexplainable
Pleasures of youth
We are now conscious
Awake and aware
Of too much
And expectant
Of perceived perfection
But when we are away
Alone on walks
Or underneath our cars
Fiddling
Our minds wander
We roam backwards
Touching the untamed
Remembering
© 2012 – 2014, TamekaMullins. All rights reserved.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
“We roam backwards touching the untamed remembering”
the freedom, the newness, the unfettered hopes and dreams . . . We are in the moment. Even when we have regrets moving forward, is there a better place to be than in the moment?
I drifted away on your words, Tameka. Thank you for making me realize I’m as young as I feel in my heart.
Blessings always!
The untamed remembering…I absolutely love this poem. You are amazing Tameka. My youth just flashed before my eyes—even igniting smells. Powerful chica. Powerful!
Love love love you!!!
Leah! I have been so busy that I had to steal the time to write this. I was aching with pain because I missed writing poetry so much! This piece was inspired by a lyric from a song called Soul Food by a group called Goodie Mob. It reminded me of being in high school and guys liking my hairy legs! I of course hated my legs back then. I was too young to see my own beauty! So happy that you liked this! Love you too mama!
Yes Martha! You got it! Thanks for taking some time to be in my poetic world today! You are as young as you feel dear! Always! 🙂
You’re so talented!!!!!!
Awww, thanks mamita! So are you! 🙂
Ohhh the journeys! What a fascinating analogy you created here. As I read, my mind leaped to thumbnail sketches throughout my life…those defining moments….and the ones that were random in a happy or sad manner. We tread a colorful path, each of us. I always imagine that we weave energetic tapestry with the life journey. 🙂
– Dawn
This is so true Dawn: ” We tread a colorful path, each of us.” Sometimes when we have advanced in life we forget about the goodness of our innocence, but it was then that we learned to dream. We should never forget the times before we arched our eyebrows or shaved our legs! 🙂
Interesting as ever, Tameka! Thank goodness my legs were never very hairy so I didn’t have to bother with any of it ;p
LOL! Hey Sweepy! Lucky you! Actually hairy legs can be a symbol for unpierced ears, life before makeup, eyebrow arching and all of those things we graduate to doing to when we become women. Those things accentuate our beauty, but we were still beautiful without them and men remember us in our innocent stage quite fondly mostly. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂