I was young Youngest one in my class My parents said, “ I was gifted” My doctor told them that

Four years old My first day of pre K I learned quickly How to be brave

Kindergarten still four going on five Our first assignment was given Poetry, not knowing why

I went home that night My Dad asked, “What I was writing and why” Barely able to see above my brothers desk An area was made For me to format

I wrote a few words None of which rhymed I was only a small girl Four going on five

After time my Dad returned He asked, “what did you learn?” I showed him my list He looked away and laughed, “Where’s the gift?”

He kneeled down to my level Smelling of booze And disheveled Grabbed my pen Quickly said, “let me write it instead”

He wrote my assignment My brother In tow Not questioning his decision What did I know?

”Mandy, sit there and listen” He shouted as I attempted to run from his gaze “Do what he said” my brother whispered Then he will go away

Shoes 👠

“Shoes, shoes look at the shoes Big and small Yellow, pink and blue You can stay and shop all day But please don’t take my shoes away”

He was proud of his words Reveling in the rhymes He said, “Mandy tell no one This is yours not mine” Another secret I was Sworn to keep

Little did I realize This was a contest Where I had to read To the entire school

I won 1st place I felt like a disgrace A burden for a girl Who is only four Learning the world

Not fully able to grasp
What a secret I had to keep The weight of my lies to hold Ran rather deep

Not a big deal to some If you lived in that environment You understand Who you are and who they force you to be Looks like parallel reality

I was only a girl Four going on five When I learned not only poetry But how to survive-

What rhymes with butt. My dog is a mutt. We don’t have a cat Can you imagine that?

My mom says I’m crude, My dad says I’m rude I just want to be An ordinary dude.

I’m ten years old My sis has a cold Don’t eat the cheese ‘Cause it’s just old mold

We play cops and robbers It’s totally fun. Running around With our toy guns.

I like Dr. Seuss Someone ate a moose. I like trains Especially the caboose.

They say rhyming is hard But it’s like playing cards I have a big gut. And what rhymes with butt.

I feel like a little kid Writing topics too grown I can’t wait to learn to drive I miss you when I’m home My soul feels aged Why can’t I be older I want to walk down the aisle And cry on your shoulder Someone to call me mine That would be nice. Lord why am I like this I’m certain what I want But not in this moment. Little me thought I could plan it all out. Turns out I can, but it won’t truly work out. Burnt out. Love me. Goodbye, lovely.

I love to color I love animols It has to be pur-fect In the lines everytime Or I have to try Try again My Mommy always colors In the lines I feel sad I can’t But I Put on my smile Color and smile so mamma Will love me Every day And I will be a Good girl Gonna go colors now

Roses are red, violets are blue, the honey is sweet but so are you. Ring a ring a Rosie, a pocket full of daisies. A tissue a tissue we all fall down. The cows are in the meadow eating buttercups, a tissue a tissue we all stand up.

Hey diddle diddle, the cat played the fiddle and the cow jumped over the moon. The little boy laughed to have such fun and the dish ran away with the spoon.

Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle star, how I wonder what you are.

The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the itsy spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain, so the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.

When I go outside, the first thing I see Is my trampoline right behind the old tree I climb the tree often, it makes me feel tall Never too high, I'm afraid I might fall

Sometimes in the summer I'll play hide and seek And meet all my friends at the end of the creek I know all the spots, so I always win Until it gets dark and my mom says “come in”

Nuggets Under my tongue Grandma won't see Glumps of meat Each day she feeds Treacherous amounts Still she checks I eat every ounce

Mommy says go to bed But there are so many thoughts in my head

Daddy says start counting sheep But I wanted to say back to him stop talking bleep!

Oh wait, brother says I can’t say that word And like a bird He’s gonna fly to mother And tell her I wrote it

Oops.

I wannnna go to the poolle Becuzze it is coooolllee But mommy dosinte let mi And dat is laikk hurtinge a triye.

Da triye saiys auowiye. I saiy sowwwiey. Like mommy willllllleee. At da cass tiwlle.

My cat sat on my mat, He was chewing on my crayons, like he was… like he was…

“Sara! What rhymes with crayons?”

“What?” Sara called down the stairs

“What, rhymes, with, craynon’s?” Mike yelled, pausing at the end of every word.

“Umm. Spray on’s? I don’t know.”

“No, that doesn’t fit! Something else!”

Mike heard the pounding on the stairs as Sara trundled down.

“What do you want Mikel?” She asked, uncurling one of the over tight curlers from her brown hair. Staring down at him, he stood up so as not to feel so ‘beneath’ her, but even with is back straitened to its fullest he was still feet from her height.

“I need a word that rhymes with Crayons.”

“Why?” She winced as she caught a knot in her hair.

“Just cause, ok?”

“If you don’t tell me, I’m not giving you a ryming word. And hurry up, I have to leave soon.” She said, glancing at the clock hang above the couch.

“Oh please, prince carming can wait”

“What’s it for?” She repeated.

“I’m writing a poem.”

“A poem?”

“Is something wrong with your ears? Yes, a poem,” he said, dragging out the last word.

“Is it for a girl?”

“No! I just, I have to, its for school ok? Can you think of a word or not?”

“Oh I can thing of plenty, patrons, eons, seconds.”

“Stop, stop stop.” Mike said, stumbling over his words as he bent down to write his fresh idea.

My cat sat on my mat, _He was chewing on my crayons, _

_the time between now and seeing you feels like eons, _ but hours spent with you only feel like seconds _I wish I knew how to say this…say this…say _

“Could you stop breathing down my neck?”

“So-rry.” Sara said dramatically, raising her hands in serender, the last curler in her hand.

I wish I knew how to say this without ryming,

But I guess it never feels like the right timeing. Sorry this is long. But I had to speak. We can still just be friend though, i just wanted you to know

P.S. please don’t tell anyone, I sent this to you.

From Mike, To Jamie