Who will I be if I’m not seventeen
Bright eyed…everyone enamored with me
Will my responses be always so quick
Too quick most times…impressed with my own wit
Seventeen fails me I don’t know it yet
Sixty, I’ll honor…despite seventeen’s regret

Who will I be if I’m not seventeen
Bright eyed…everyone enamored with me
Will my responses be always so quick
Too quick most times…impressed with my own wit
Seventeen fails me I don’t know it yet
Sixty, I’ll honor…despite seventeen’s regret

Sonny, (I can call you that because I’ve grey and am much older than you)
You don’t look like a man who’dve (proper grammar? I surely don’t care)
Said what you said (but you said it, and it stole my heart)
In Chapter 25 (chapter twenty-five., to be precise)
Or even a man who’dve been able to “focus” this long (though you lay claim to seeing its virtue, so I’ll believe you)
Given the amount of time (I’ve spent more than my fair share of it and secretly believe it’s ubiquitous)
And number of exhalations I know (I know) it took away
From your habitual daydreaming (I’ve a penchant for it, too)
I could (sadly, I will) continue sharing unrequited love-jabs here
But it’s late and the (glorious, but damned) mosquitoes have made their entrance
So I laugh (always — most often at myself), and tuck your bookmark (thanks) in my bra strap (ha) instead of your book (your book, bravo) and go inside for the night (and, how dare you quote Whitman?!)
Goodnight (goodnight)

Just this one more line
Sonny, (I can call you that because I’ve grey and am much older than you)
You don’t look like a man who’dve (proper grammar? I surely don’t care)
Said what you said (but you said it, and it stole my heart)
In Chapter 25 (chapter twenty-five., to be precise)
Or even a man who’dve been able to “focus” this long (though you lay claim to seeing its virtue, so I’ll believe you)
Given the amount of time (I’ve spent more than my fair share of it and secretly believe it’s ubiquitous)
And number of exhalations I know (I know) it took away
From your habitual daydreaming (I’ve a penchant for it, too)
I could (sadly, I will) continue sharing unrequited love-jabs here
But it’s late and the (glorious, but damned) mosquitoes have made their entrance
So I laugh (always — most often at myself), and tuck your bookmark (thanks) in my bra strap (ha) instead of your book (your book, bravo) and go inside for the night (and, how dare you quote Whitman?!)
Goodnight (goodnight)
Ask about my windows, World!
When I wronged her months ago
You’ve mistaken me
Black diamond, I’m afraid
Curly-Q edgesPhoto Credit: Tiger R., age 10
Look with me
Far enough up
Forgive the atmosphere, layered
Its pain, its shame
See with me
Filterless skies
Redeem them, though unasked
Their Gossamer egos, thin skin