Joanna Gilman Hyde

The Tomato-coloured Couch 9:11pm

I was That Girl

Who watched uneasily

as Her Brother’s Friend

heaped dried leaves

on top of a little fire

lit to cook onion grass

in The Woods behind Her House

–

I was That Girl

Who ran back to The House

to get a pitcher of water

to meet Her Mother’s Alarm

–

I was That Girl

“eight-going-on-nine”

Who wrote a letter of thanks

to The Valley Cottage Fire Department

“for saving Our Woods”

“I’ll never scratch a match again”

–

I was That Girl

praised by Her Former Kindergarten Teacher

met in the school hallway

The Letter was in the paper