it’s late at night 
i’m laying in the grass with warm company and a full day in my past 
leaving me feeling filled to the brim
there’s a smell of kids running in the streets 
and jumping in pools 
and licking ice cream that falls onto sticky hands 
in the air 
in a way 
lanterns fill my blind spot 
and fireflies flicker off and on 
the thought of grabbing a jar and running around my yard catching them all passes through my mind but soon goes to marshmallows and campfires i smell one down the street 
and for some reason I can actually see the stars in the sky tonight (i didn’t think that was possible anymore)
i can hear the bugs 
and i am in love
with nobody in particular but life itself 
and I’m laying in the grass still letting myself leave a mark into the earth
(and possibly stain my white shorts green)
and this 
this is summer 
this is july 
it smells of pineapple and open windows and salty pools mixed with sunscreen 
i’ll miss this all soon when january comes.