Those were the days I thought they never end
Making my Dragons’s Breath chili
And beer, soft drink and chili  for my friends
Chili like fire  one says  ;need beer quickly

Making my Dragons’s Breath chili          
Cooking chili is like a balance beam        
My chili tastes like tangy fire  it seems
Chili   like fire ,one says ;need beer quickly.

Cooking chili is like a balance beam  
Each party I reduce the heat
My chili tastes like tangy fire it seems
. My homies found it better to eat

Each party I reduce the heat
And beer, soft drink and chili  for my friends
My homies found it better to eat
Those were the days I thought they never end

queasy
upset stomach
shaky knees
spill out of a packed van
with choking seatbelts.
feet that are tired of wearing shoes
and sitting
for houuuuuuurrrrs
hit the hot concrete...
foreign land:
gas station.
dad tells me to run around a bit
stretch my legs
mom sits in the car
pregnant
fanning herself
smiling
at me
out the open
window
i smile back.
i'm wearing the white shirt
with the blue trim
that mom made me
special
for our trip
it has a silly sun
with sunglasses and a crinkly smile
that she embroidered on it
it is
my favorite...
i smell the acrid gasoline
look around
the first time
i've been
anywhere
i am only eight
dad comes out of the store
his hands full
of funny little cardboard boats
me and my sister
run up to him
he hands me
a chili dog
with onions...
first bite....
burst of onion
spice of chili
sweetness of bread
orange
mouths
i look at my sister
she points to my shirt
shows me the chili stain
against the perfect white
i
cry

There was an Old Person of Chili,
Whose conduct was painful and silly,
He sate on the stairs,
Eating apples and pears,
That imprudent Old Person of Chili.