Childhood Poem by Jane Cai

White shirts and blue pants
Rushing out of class when the finishing bell rang
Riding the bicycle home with arms open
Mama’s singing and cooking melted into the air

White shirts and blue skirts
Waving goodbye when the teacher smiled with ease
Riding on Papa’s back with candy in the mouth
Both hands touching the red lanterns through the way home

Hide and seek
Run and follow
Climbing up the trees and picking up the mulberries
Blue stains were everywhere of face, hands and clothes

One or two
Carry or walk
Playing with the pets and feeding them with food and care
Giggles were echoed in the whole playground


Boys or girls
Eastern or Western
Childhood is the same but greeting us with joys and cheers
Or the treasure full of sweetness and merriness
If we forget about the disease, hunger, orphanage caused by natural or manmade disasters