Strawberries- ABBY

I was a small strawberry once
in summer shade
deep shadows of sleeping cats, watchful of
rose white and rose red, both sandal footed
and cold grass frolicking, issuing to the backyard
world a summer-girl chirrup succeeded by one
toothy boast and one shy smile.

I was a small strawberry sometimes then
a summer dress made of me, a scarlet fruit
clothed in berry hued and seed-studded
white dotted fabric frocks
i twirled and orbited a small space
like the same true fruit in cool soil
among chastening berry blooms
in the small, silent garden

the strawberry and i
plump red, sweetening in summer sun
laughing at the distillation of time
and the absence of memory then