youth

there was the overwhelming understanding

that whatever the world does to people is terrifying,

and yet all my friends and I wanted

was to get older and see for ourselves.

modern, flat

watch what I can do

flat-faced, 2-D

not a trace of me

collections of ink

you can’t guess me

you can’t press me

you can’t step to me

you can’t affect me

you can’t teach me

you can’t breach me

those who see me

see the real me

young heart

my life, my art

teenage

while concrete lets off steam beneath the spotless blue dome,

my purse flies across the concert lawn with my phone…

then begging with weak thumbs for you drive an hour

to meet me there, but before you take me home,

will you please, please dance with me in the parking lot?

school yard

it turns out the school yard

is not a place you leave

but a maze you learn

at recess, they scream,

change games with a breeze,

new whims, new policies

furies of fear and desire move,

jokes that stab, can’t be taken back,

now sleep in memory grooves

high tea at the Palace Hotel with Sofia

high tea at the Palace Hotel with you is enjoyable

partly because you had an edible

and partly because of the harpist,

partly because friendships earn character after a disagreement.

I woke you while you were napping,

and the rest of the day you saw someone inconsiderate.

I was eager to see the city through your eyes.

San Francisco, like a snow globe…

where nothing bad can happen?

wallflower

there’s a benefit to never dancing.

you get to look at all the other people sparkling

and imagine how you would have done it differently,

and others might believe you

since they’ve never seen you try.