beginning
finally hopeful
nervous and awkward
stranger acquaintances
breeze plucked-
steel guitar strings
untrained voice
steady as sunlight
grass-wet denim shorts
ice-cream-stained lips
dragonfly-winged bubbles
dance to amateur tunes
a waddling tricycle
and stick horse audience
“this song is about drinking…
water.”

farewell
only made honest
by this hesitant
beginning