Growing Pains

1

I finally made it
though I wish
I could say “we”

2

fog breath around the bench
I laugh away
winters with you

3

thunder thighs, they sneered
as I trace silvery lightning
on my skin

4

parent's divorce
brother cries it's all my fault
I carve into my skin

5

butterfly kisses
lullabies about a little star
old bedtime ritual

6

kids selling lemonade
on the corner I used to
I fish for change

7

december air
school bus gossip
red suited epiphany

8

folding his hand-me-downs
I wonder how
mom is doing

9

quarterback's mug shot on the news
oh, how the mighty
                           fall

10

1 paper cut
       3 trickles of dark red blood
             my growing pain

11

comfy bed and pillow
silky light purple sheets
grandma’s cuddles . . .

12

early morning phone call
can’t catch my breath
growing pains

13

mom friend
who will take care
of me?

14

belly fat
more hair
just growing up

15

growingpainismystress

16

second best friend
apex of the sidewalk triangle
falls further behind

17

he makes love potions
then claims a witch-hunt;
King Midas

18

forehead kisses and
embarrassing secrets
locked in my mind

19

cutting a low carb pizza
she licks the cutter
after each slice

20

overworked mother 
eldest daughter 
takes the wheel

21

at a performing-arts school,
with near-perfect attendance,
call me dramatic again

22

turning back
my childhood bedroom
empty

23

nighttime blues
text from mom
at the perfect time

24

playground after dark
she mourns
her childhood

25

beg my parents to
watch a movie
I fall asleep before the end

26

spend my money
on clothes and makeup
nothing will make me cool enough

27

I slowly release his hand
sometimes faith has 
growing pains 

28

sharp slice down my leg
mom says
it’s just growing pains

29

a quick prick
ouch
I wish it were growing pains

30

imprisoned 
inside of my own skin 
jailbreak

31

feel it all 
around me
teenage ache 

32

closet of shoes 
that got not enough 
love

33

staring at the ceiling
my legs complaining
about growing pains

34

Athena springs
from Zeus’s forehead
his growing pains

35

will I ever
get another day
to just play

36

the machines don’t stop for death

37

waiting for you
feeling like a straight guy
in Victoria's Secret

38

cold fall breeze 
they drift away 
from me

39

my father
abandoning
a broken feather

40

up before the sun 
let’s do it again 
growing pains

41

puffy eyes
mom offers me her last
tissue

42

empties her pockets
before the school dance
a break-up note

43

old flag waves
the wind
keeps her company

44

the old house
creaks
memories flood

45

ready to play
in the rain
expensive jewelry

46

hiking alone
a cold breeze
an unsteady pace

47

two college degrees
and The Feminist Mystique
my mom.

48

fingers clack
on a keyboard
watching the clock

49

the heartbeat no longer
tech shakes head
baby girl soon to come

50

white sheets stained pink
the bloody culprit—
      my . . . other red sock!

51

never ending boredom
ache for school
long runs all that’s left to do

52

rearview mirror
eyes
catch mine

53

echos of laughter
haunt the house
she sews in remembrance

54

game of telephone 
everything is
twisted 

55

one city 
     nice skyline
people . . .

56

beach sunset 
a thousand footsteps 
recount the day

57

highest peak
I hover above
who I was below

58

sunset accelerates
heart racing while
I wait for him to call

59

her curly hair wild
in the wind
country on the radio

60

gazing up 
ghosts of laughter 
fill the air 

61

missing the moon
she came back 
you didn’t 

62

6am
my limit
30 mins of judge judy

63

free falling
the silence amplifies
my heart beat