I Re/Member Poem by Ezio Olubelleau

I remember when I was a kid,
Mama bought me food and drinks.
When I was sick, or back from school,
I remember her scolding me for pranks.

I remember when I was in school,
The teachers would pat my head,
Then they'd test their new cane on me,
I remember being gentle, now I'm a nag instead.

I remember when my classmates asked,
"How'd you done it, never teared at the touch of a cane",
And I'd tell them absurd stories about my sufferings,
I remember when my tooth broke at the touch of a cane.

I remember when I was a teenager,
I used to miss the girl sitting next to me in class,
'Sit still, you're a girl, not a conductor, ' I'd tell her,
I remember our fights, but now they're left behind the fuss

I remember when the girl next door used to smile at me,
We'd sit on the bench, sharing smiles.
Then our hands would touch each other,
I remember the feel of her lips, so tender and mild.

I remember being the first to submit my papers,
When other kids asked how I did it,
'God's grace and prayers, my boy, ' I'd tell them,
I remember being small and puny, but now I've got grit.

I remember;