The Alphabet Reversed

I can recite the alphabet backward,

like a parlor trick, absurd and absurd,

while kids toss oranges, bright in the sun,

their laughter rings out, oh, how they run.

A friend teases me, says I lack the skills,

while I cling to this talent that never fulfills,

‘A, B, C, D,’ I whisper to no one,

while outside, those oranges tumble and shun.

It’s a strange little quirk, I keep to myself,

like an old book gathering dust on the shelf,

it’s not much of a gift, but it’s mine, at least,

my secret to hold, my hidden beast.