You Can't Have It All

But you can have sweet, sticky, strawberry lollipops like a dream of new white leather in a sedan.

You can have the soft, smooth petals of a peony blow across your face as it takes flight like a new born fledgling.

You can have the command of your older brother to make him a five star meal in less than 30 minutes.

You can have a fun day that turned cold to the bone after you make your brother's nose bleed. When you're dad looks at you with a face that says "Look what you did, don't even think about coming in here."

You can think love is just holding hands and sharing sodas, but sometimes it's more and sometimes it's less.

You can have those days where your house is like a blank piece of paper but a single box in the center of the room.

You can't have that boy that every girl dreams of, but you can have the best friend to share everything with. The one who will always come first.

You can have the little park where you're all alone in front of your house to drown in tears for a couple of hours.

You can't have the get out of jail free card, but you can go around the board like everyone else.

You can have the dream of California, the Golden Gate Bridge, and beeping cars in the middle of rush hour.

You can have your friend squeezing fresh limes on a Sunday afternoon, for sweet key lime pie.

You can have your friend tackle and knock you down as we both playfully fight over the TV remote.

You can have your grandma flood the cemetery with sorrow, just like when Harriet Tubman led the slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

You can have that friend that spins threads into gold to make wishes come true.

You can have the steaming, strained brain of too much homework but not enough time.

You can't be friends with the most popular girl, but you can be close to the girl who'll paint your nails even when you've caught the flu.

You can be grateful for windows to let you hear the bird's song, even early Saturday morning.

You can have the warmth of the sun on your back slowly roasting you as if you were sunbathing a grill.

You can have the annoying big brother that won't listen to anything you ask, but you will miss when he leaves to start his life.

You can't have that shining smile anymore, that kind hand that will always reach out to you, and that welcome that can't even be competed with. But you can have the same face watching over you like your guardian angel.

You can think you can do it, but soon realize even a sapling needs support.

You can have 15 minutes before school to look for your imperfections, the ones that you know will always bring you down.

You can mix and match the colors of clay, make a butter-fish, and an angel-fly.

You can have all of your friends guiding you, holding their hands and following them.

You can have eye bags under your eyes stuck alone with a can of Nutella and an abused laptop, the things a girl would do for her father.

You can sit there on the steps while the sun shone brightly; it dimmed to the beautiful orange sunset. Are they ever coming back?

You can't cross the bridge without meeting the troll. But you can meet the fairy godmother that will grant your wish for everything you can't have.