Photograph

My brother and I built cities in the dirt under the swing set when we were children. We dragged the hose through the backyard, created waterways, built structures out of clay, and drove the matchbox cars on paved streets. Each day we would look forward to adding to our metropolis. We delighted when we woke to find the dirt covered in raindrop craters. Then we could rebuild and we knew each time would be better than before. If we left to play tag, the walls of our houses stood sturdy until we came back.

My mother never took a photograph.