Summary

The speaker reflects on their impending birthday — they will be ten years old. It makes them feel as though they’re at the brink of an oncoming illness, only this illness is worse than anything they’ve experienced so far. Rather than being a sickness of the body, it’s an infestation into the mind and spirit.

Turning to an adult in their life, the speaker protests that the adult doesn’t remember what it’s like to be a young child. The speaker, by contrast, remembers every detail about their years so far. Through the magic of their imagination, they’ve lived countless adventurous lives. But those days are behind them now, and they spend most of their time gazing out the window watching the way the light passes across the yard. Everything looks different, and even their treehouse and bicycle seem darker...