Treasures (PAD Prompt)

Under your bed I found

your treasure box.

I sat on the floor

opened the lid to this once cigar box

and for a while

just stared.

All jumbled remembrances like jewels

shone back at me.

Your Batman mask was

most obvious because it took so much room

and lay like a blanket

over other gems that could only peak out

at the light of day.

I remember when you were Batman,

running through the house with your over-sized flashlight,

the cape I made for you,

and of course

Batman Underoos.

I picked up the worn mask and saw the elastic strap

on one side had no silver-colored metal piece that once held

strap to mask.

The mask was more pliable than it should have been, but

you loved it so I was surprised it was not in shreds.

I put the mask down next to me, and reached in for

another treasure of childhood.

A popped green balloon, string still tied tightly.

It had a faded picture of Cookie Monster holding his

ever-present chocolate chip cookie, his food of choice

before they started making Cookie Monster eat broccoli.

This treasure box held jacks and a bouncy ball

of multi-colored stripes.

The jacks, there were only three.

There was a band aid, used, that said "Ouch!"

something he was given by the nurse in the ER

when he slashed open his knee

falling off his first two-wheeler.

There were pennies, twelve of them,

darkened and rough edged,

pennies he'd discovered while out on

pirate adventures looking for gold.

Last of all I picked up the button to

his Oshkosh overalls,

the metal buttons that were at the bib,

the buttons the overall straps attached to.

There is no mistaking those buttons,

the ones that say "Oshkosh B'gosh."

But now he is grown,

my only babe, and his room is empty

except for this treasure in a cigar box.

I put them all back inside and

slid it back under the bed,
where it belonged,

and got back to my dusting.