Another Friday night,
Listening to Norah Jones—
Baking cookies,
Wearing basketball shorts.
Bagels at Panera,
Hazelnut coffee
At Panera.
Wishing I was a grownup.
Caffeine makes me feel.
Mom and Dad,
I love you.
I love you,
Mom and Dad.
I have a crush on a senior—
His rumpled shirt,
His Mom doesn’t iron it.
It’s a love that hurts.
Saturday night at Lindsey’s,
Watching “Save the Last Dance” with Noah.
I miss you, Noah.
Is cat heaven full of aquariums?
Full of aquariums?
Time to go to confession again.
What will I say?
I hope I get the good priest.
College applications piling up
Like the ice on my windshield
That I scrape off in the dark mornings,
The dark, dark mornings before school.
My uncles are hilarious.
So, so funny.
I don’t need to drink at homecoming to have fun,
I don’t need to go to homecoming to have fun,
I didn’t get asked to homecoming.
Waking up early on Saturdays,
A tired teen-ager.
I’m an assistant volleyball coach
For my sister’s sixth-grade team.
The other coaches are my Mom
and my other sister.
Go Lancers.
Dad,
Don’t come up to my room with the video camera.
You’re making memories,
I’m making a scarf
For your Christmas present.
Cross-country meets,
French Club treats,
Endless laughs and ponytails,
My Camry’s beats.
Straightening my hair,
For you,
For you.
Sorry, Grandma,
You loved my curls.
