Girl-friend
for J.B.
between the busybody ballerinas,
the flannel clad brood,
& the hibiscus tourist shirts
she stood,
voice the scraping metal
sound of teeth
on a fork,
glitter eyed
& starstruck,
holding skulls
behind her back
like crossed fingers
all the heads she’s in,
all the nights in front of
cracked mirrors
rehearsing exactly
what would impress
the belle of
the locker room best
I'm freezing in your shadow,
a brittle wallflower,
a breeze, a wisp
when we kissed
it was a night swim whim,
meaning nothing &
everything at the cusp
of adolescence,
no lines were blurry back then,
we peeled labels
from beer bottles
& wouldn’t cover our own skin
in taglines or brands
youth is losing track of days
because after midnight,
we lie awake, on the phone
until dawn breaks
I told you we’d be
back here again,
the halls full
of ghosts
& tumbleweed,
the only difference is
you don’t know me,
or just pretend not to,
so I’ll pick up
my petals
& breeze right by you
Thistle Thoughts 