Playground Wars of the 1980’s
 
you start with a solid battleground
we used the giant slab of cement
at the Oak Hill playground
that served as two full size basketball courts
you need twenty or so kids
stupid enough to think this would be fun
you need fireworks
and lighters – empty beer bottles
 
each team takes up one full court
and assembles their battle lines
back line – bottle rockets (aka missiles)
middle line – roman candles (aka mortars)
front line – firecrackers and sparklers (aka in the shit)
 
Rules of engagement:
    1. You must stay on your court
    2. You must stay in your lines (no front-line bottle rockets)
    3. Learn how to dodge

somehow
4No eyes or fingers were lost
No cops showed up
cracks and pops
flower-bloom explosions
crossed in the summer night
ten minutes
of teenagers exalting in utter chaos
there should’ve been a fourth rule

    4. Do not wear mesh crop tops

but this was the eighties
and everyone wore them
and sparklers stuck in the holes
and my brother screamed and jumped around
and that fiery emission of heat and light
burned a hole into his armpit
and mom was going to find out
 
He was able to hide that scar for years
well into adulthood
it helped
that mesh crop tops
fell out of fashion