In The Next Life

In the Next Life

By Amelia Seman
Essex High School, Grade 9

In the next life,
when we're not so afraid,
we'll do things
we always wanted to
but didn't dare.

We'll throw ourselves off
mossy cliffs
into deep clear pools
and swim down to the bottom
to see the colorful fish.

We'll climb huge redwood trees
all the way to the top
and lean out,
far out,
pretending to be birds.

We'll run barefoot
across grassy plains,
pounding up hills
and tumbling down
till we stop and fall down,
out of breath.

We'll play on the river
covered in ice
in the middle of the night,
our frosty breath
revealed by the moonlight
shining through the tree branches.

We'll only stop
when we can't go anymore,
and then we'll fall into our beds
and sleep,
and sleep,
and sleep.