To Kaylin

By Jacob Pardo (‘23)

Some memories burn like a hot stove,
they singe like the edge of the pan that branded my arm
when my mom let me add chocolate chips to the pancake
all by myself

When we were young,
we used to pretend that time was just something that got in the way
between Christmas, birthdays, and summer break
We never realized
that one day we would play together
for the last time

When you’re young, you think adults know everything
so I never questioned why you
got to skip so much school,
got to eat free ice cream,
got to skip to the front of the line at Disney.
Because the doctors knew best

When you’re young, you can’t wait to grow up
And learn the secrets kids don’t know
But when I lost you,
I realized too late
how adults look for answers too

Memories of you burn the hottest,
but I couldn’t ever let them go
I see your smile through the pain,
I hear you asking for a friend
from your bed,

and I don’t want you to be
all by yourself