sitting outside on that circle of sidewalk

the early fall morning you started preschool

sidewalk chalk hearts

powdery blue forming your name over and over again

the repetition that you unknowingly use as a reminder 

that you are still little 

your face is smudged 

with the yellow and pink and green

that matches the flowers you’re drawing 

i almost don’t want to clean it off

to leave it as a reminder 

you are still little

that you’re still pigtails and bermuda shorts

mispronounced l’s

butterflies and hair clips 

crayon pictures with me labeled as ‘techr’

soon you’ll learn to spell teacher

and soon you’ll learn to spell my name

but for right now

4 is the biggest you’ve ever been

standing atop the jungle gym the tallest

and learning to spell your name the proudest 

soon you’ll grow up just like i did

you’ll see the world without the filter of childhood

but right now 

you’re still little