I was wild,
Once.
Wind-tangled hair,
Sun-darkened skin,
And wonderingly large eyes.
Gangly limbs and crooked teeth and outrageous words.
I had never met a stranger.
I knew heat only from the sun
And the warmth of a large family.
I thought fast and talked faster and dug in my heels.
I stood my ground without effort—
If only I could have stayed that way.
