A Little Bit Feral

[Angela]

When I was young, I was wild and free.

In the summer, my skin turned as brown as toast.

My hair stayed tangled, and smelled sour from sweat.

I picked tart blackberries near the railroad trestle, alone, feeling the thump of the train through my feet, counting cars, hypnotized by hot wind.

Bleach went in my bathwater to keep my insect bites from becoming infected; when no one could see, I let the dog lick my scrapes and sores.

I stole plums from an old lady’s backyard, and laughed at her as she yelled at me from her porch, tugging at the corner of her apron, her voice nearly invisible, my toes straining to grab the crook of the tree.

[Darin Walker]

This one brought back a lot of memories. Thank you for that.

[Toby Tucker Hecht]

So many wonderful images and phrases.  One that particularly struck me was: when no one could see, I  let the dog lick my scrapes and sores.  When I was growing up, my mother had a skin condition on her hands and the neighbors' dog used to lick it and it would heal up for a time.  There is magic in a dog's saliva.  (Or maybe an enzyme!)

[Ali Znaidi]

Am I watching a video clip? A great 6S similar to a short film.

[Christine Calhoun]

I love hearing about this.

[Joey Delgado]

Great six. I love the last sentence, the image of the woman yelling at you while your run away, barely hearing her. Nice glimpse into childhood.

[Paul de Denus]

Yes I can see this- her appearance is that of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird- wild and free. Perfect A

[Bill Floyd]

Fantastic.  I've run out of descriptors for the high quality artistry in your writing, so I'll just go with "fantastic."  

[Jeanette Cheezum]

You sound like someone  I would have had fun with. Except while you turned brown, my body would have been red. Great 6

[Ron. Lavalette]

Very clearly a wild child, well-drawn here.  Good use of sensory imagery.  Salute.

[Stephen Torelli]

Untamed... and that's what I like.  Upstanding!