First Love

When I was a child, the adults saidall children have round faces.I asked my mom, why is this?My mom only stretched out her hand and pointed at the moon.The moon was round, sleeping peacefully on the treetops.I thought of my younger brother’s dragonfly net.How did he catch such an elegant girl?The eaves were filled with hanging strands of golden corn.They reminded me of young women’s necklaces.This is why we play hide-and-seek under the trees.This is why we “snatch the bride” in the moonlight.I don’t know why, often when I came to find her,she silently walked over to meand was transformed into an aqueous moon.The sound of her laughter drenched my clothes.One day she grew into a poplarand sang for love in the fields.

She mounted the decorated saddlebut I wasn’t her groom.That night my mom said I was an adult.She told me to give the clothes I’d outgrownto my younger brother.But I hid the outfit that had beendrenched with laughter.I could only look for the moonlightof that night in my soul.I thought of my younger brother’s dragonfly net.How did he catch such an elegant girl?