When We Were Kids

if only we knew then what we know now 

back when ice cream didn’t have calories 

now we read the nutrition charts when grocery shopping 

back when everyone was nice 

now we lose a friend with every year 

back when the first day of school was exciting 

now we dread walking into first class with each semester 

when everyone went trick-or-treating as a child 

now we party and drink till we can’t see straight 

when field day never ended 

now we run the pacer test and count our sit-ups 

when learning how to ride a bike was fun 

now waiting for our next paycheck to clear gas for the week 

when santa and the tooth fairy were real 

now christmas is just another day of the year

when homework took 10 minutes because they were just simple exercises 

now scheduling out a whole day to complete worthless assignments

when we would build snowmen in the winter after dinner time 

now we shovel and salt the porch every time snow falls 

when birthdays were exciting and not a reminder of the day you were admitted to an outpatient program 

when people didn’t judge the way you looked 

talked 

or acted 

when sports weren’t mentally draining taking the love away

when we were simply just happy 

only thinking about the next time we could go outside

the next time we could get calorieless ice cream

oh to go back in time

back to when we were kids