The funfair, always too small, tacky plastic
Sun coated rails and blistered paint jobs
Made the fertile ground of my childhood
The always green side
The roller coaster, cheap wood rusted nails
Smelt like early autumn when the fire hit
Made the air taste burnt marshmallow for days
Colouring my tongue
With sugar and card tricks twisted touching
My gums ‘til the cheap ink tainted my grin
And bled back into the gaps in my teeth
Completing my smile
Children’s games, when the ring kissed metal
Electric arcs formed like bumper cars dancing
I still fingertip trace lines of the maze
Catching static shocks
Making our hair stand on end like candy floss
Strands whipping as we waltzed in the big top
As the rain poured through the hole in the roof
Rivers made puddles
Splashing as children in yellow raincoats
Catching the rainwater in our hoods
Making the puddles seas so we could swim
Dive as acrobats
Grasping for your hand as you swam hard
Kicked strong when I suggested safety nets
Your smile reminded me of clown paint
I still miss that hue