Life

One year ago I made the transition from country to city. Where I’m from, the stars come out at night. “Neighbors” are a mile down the road. Saturday night might include a trip to the cinema. Life is slower, and we play cards on the weekend. My mom wears a red apron and bakes in the kitchen with the windows open and oldies on the radio. I grew up running barefoot in the backyard next to wheat fields as far as the eye could see. I would squat in the bushes to pee so I wouldn’t have to waste time inside. Life was about harvest, Friday night football, and the prayer requests on the kitchen counter, lifelong friends and borrowing eggs from neighbors.

I’m not saying it was all peaches. There are fatal car accidents on country roads, gossipy grandmas, closed-minded conversations and such. Nonetheless, I’m happy to have Kansas as my base.

In the Windy City, the skyscrapers come alive. There are people to meet of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. An endless supply of friendships. There are new neighborhoods to explore. Bike, walk, CTA. Take your pick and let’s ride to someplace new. A back alley bar or tiny taqueria. Stay up late at a blues bar. Wake up early for a run with the sun on the lake. It’s all an adventure.

But not always a day at the park. Sometimes buses are late. It’s awkward to talk to your upstairs neighbor about anything but the weather. Friends don’t call you back.

The difference between Kansas and Chicago?

Tornadoes.

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

C.J.'s Size

Hot wheels

Toy cars

Line ‘em up

What would C.J. do?

Monster truck

Volcano

Storm cloud

Destruction is inevitable

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

Hello. Morning

 

This reminds me of a dream.

An early morning, sun rise, lots of colors.

The beach is empty except for the early birds flying overhead. The sand is cool. The water even cooler.

My feet wander to where the waves are. They wait for the foamy friends to meet there like clockwork.

My toes sink deeper. They become one with the sand.

Then, finally, the sun peeks over the horizon. Thus begins the song in my heart. The dance swells up from the Earth in to my toes and beats through my body. The beat is a chameleon. It changes with the colors of the sky. I’m one with the morning. My heart dances with me. It smiles. I’m smiling. The sun smiles.

Good. Morning.

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

Lions, Tigers, and Waterfalls

I’ll meet you in the enchanted forest. And give you a hand. What do you say we go for a walk to the rainbow waterfall?

It’s beautiful there, but getting to the top is dangerous.

I’ll give you a hand to the tippy top so we can slide down the red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, and violets. Indigo feels smooth. Yellow tickles. Orange keeps you warm and Violet gives chills. Red and Green make the air around the waterfall smell like Christmas. It’s like a hot fudge sundae or a winter kiss.

We’ll walk there now. Holding hands. Take my hand and we can go together.

On the way we’ll see pink flowery birds and hear the fallen leaves make music under our feet. The green ones sound like piano keys, yellow a violin being plucked, the fire-colored leaves make the best sound: a high pitched piccolo in tune with the largest tuba bellowing the lowest G.

Take my hand so we can make music and get rainbowed and fall in love. Come away with me to find an adventure in the enchanted forest.

Could I have your hand?

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

Wrapping Presents

We take out the box

Scissors, paper, ribbon

It’s colorful and special

For that one day

We’ll celebrate

Oragami that box

Curly-cue that bow

That’s my favorite

Ziiiiiiiiiiip curls

Happy Birthday

Write their name

Now that’s a wrap

Tear it up

Take out the trash

Party’s over

But wait

‘Til next year

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

The Clouds Test

A)   Summer sky?

B)   Fall sky?

C)   Winter sky?

D)   Spring sky?

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Test by Sadie Myers.

Smell the colors says the sun

The sun sets on everyone

And everything

It sets on a busy street in Chicago

It falls on a lonely avenue in a small town

The sun greets us and best-wishes us everyday

Do you take it for granted?

Please stop.

Smell the colors.

The sun is light and life and love

Take your shirt off, get a tan

Soak it up, live it up, love it up

Vitamin D. Let’s whee!

Because the sun sets on everyone

Without a doubt

It will set on a backyard baseball game

It will fall on that romantic dinner date

The sun will fall

On everything

Without a doubt

The sun sets.

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

On the street

One way

This way

That way

No way

Yes way

A way

The way

New way

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

Sunshine at Midnight

Light is the opposite of the dark.

It is yellow in the bathroom. Or white in the sun. Maybe blue in my computer screen. Say, pink in my room while I’m reading after the day is done. What color is light if it’s not the night? But even the night has color--and light. Can I ever escape light? When I close my eyes it is in my dreams.

When I close my door it is in my heart.

Photo by Dustin Whitehead. Words by Sadie Myers.

Tables Have Turned

For this month,

Sadie gives up her camera...

And Dustin gives up his pen...

This should be interesting.