The First Time

I dared to drink coffee

and it burned into

my soul -- nasty and harsh.

I was only eight or ten

at the time.

Continuous activities

earned me King

of our large back yard

climbing trees

jumping the creek

& firing off a

slingshot -- all part

of my heritage:

60 years later it’s

chew my food properly

getting dressed with

help and making it

to a bathroom on time.