Edward St

The grass is dryer now,
more patches of dirt girt by bindies,
making the ground look like it has
some kind of vitiligo.
It’s a lot hotter now than when we were kids.
/
What about when we were older?
When we would cruise in your blue Subaru,
round Edward St where the shoes on our feet
would be stained with melting tarmac.
Your aircon was always broken.
/
It’s strange being back,
in a new car driving on new tar,
with an empty passenger seat.
The steering wheel feels cool.
Yours always gleaned green from sweat.
/
I wish they would let you have your phone.
More than twice a day would be nice.
We were always torn between staying in the thorns,
Or finding out if the grass could be greener.
All you found was sand.

(Bindies are an Australian weed-thing that have little sharp pins. Just about every Australian would have some recollection of stepping on them as a kid. I have noticed that my slang/colloquial language doesn't always translate so I have pre-empted the confusion about that term here.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/9gepgw/johnathan_black/e6404mq/?context=0
https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/9gfvf7/reel_me_in_because_i_cant_let_go/e640gte/?context=0