In the summertime,
in Michigan,
I wore my feet bare.

Let them:
Blister and burn
on the sticky black pavement.
Skin broken on sharp
little pebbles.

Let the:
sticky popsicle syrup
mix with blood.
Red and blue-
like the of Fourth of July.

Feel the:
Skin transform,
harden, callous,
an armor of scaly skin.

My brother
caught a snake, once.
Proud little fists,
hoisting in the air.

But:
Proud little fists
squeeze too tight.
Red- like the Fourth of July.