Our lawns were unmanicured then

playing hide and seek with the cat

in the gully behind our house.

No reason for envy

not yet put to the test.

My finger has been pointed toward you

for a long time 

at your divorce from your roots

at your proving you’re not poor

only to find I’m as good at it as you:

turning away from my condition

seeking letters after my name

mistaking imitation for authenticity.

I gave it a starlit label

but envy comes out dull in the wash

looking the same.