Seven years before we met
I think I was happy.
I have happy memories of everything
Before.
I was 13.
Too young.
Not smart enough to realize
that having two friends
who know almost everything
and trusting no one else
is a Mistake.
I would give anything to go back
Those seven years.
When I had bushy hair
and didn't care
'Cos I was happy then.
I had a camouflage top.
I liked it, wore it all the time.
Then I grew up, grew out.
I live now in a Cubs jumper,
For which I am 4 sizes too small.
It would fit your 6'4"
But not my 5'3".
I would like to go back
Those seven years
But I fear I would
just sit by the phone
waiting for your call
that would never come,
not only because I'm two years early,
but because you never called anyway.
I taught you Duffy, Shakespeare,
Armitage, Home, Jonson.
You gave me Einstein, Darwin,
little treasures I tucked away behind my heart.
E=mc2
Survival of the fittest.
I remember when I thought
We'd be the last one standing.
I know why you moved to Australia,
I know your broken dreams include Brunel
I know who Gail & Tony are
And Emma and Rosie
And Helen.
And Rachel
And Nicole.
The last three hurt the most.
I saw them coming.
Your first foray into creative writing
Sighting of a dead sister
in a train station.
Not your choice. You didn't want to do it.
A teacher. New. Australian.
We terrorized her, remember?
But liked her. She gave you an A.
You were surprised.
I wasn't. I'd read it so many times.
You'd asked me at least a spelling a line
To the amusement of the girl
who sat next to you, opposite me.
Old married couple, she called us.
We protested.
We read aloud.
Romeo and Juliet.
Odysseus and Penelope
Macbeth & Wife
Hamlet and Ophelia
Sheila & Gerald
Oedipus and Jocasta
Viola & Orsino
But never in real life.
You made me smile
For two years
a little more.
It wasn't worth it.
Not now.
I know about the person
who went to jail.
I know when
for how long,
why.
I know the name of the only other person who knew
The other part of our three.
Why do you still speak to him,
but not to me?
You will tell someone else.
I can see her.
Average height,
Average build
Brown hair,
Bright eyed.
I'm that girl.
I'm just not your
"That girl"
That hurts.
I would like to go back
those seven years,
pre Nicole, Rachel, Helen,
pre the page 3 photographer step-brothers
pre Shakespeare and Darwin
pre you at all.
You weren't worth it,
the memories, they just hurt,
your name, written in indelible ink
above my heart.
I was never supposed to be this girl,
But I lost my this girl, trying to be
your "that" girl.
I would go back those
7 years.
But the camouflage wouldn't fit
I'd be left with the Cubs jumper
That fits your 6'4"
better than my 5'3"
Reminding me of a man I have
yet to meet
Who in 7 years time
I will give anything to forget.
Author notes
Two possible titles Artemis and Apollo or "That Girl". Which should I use?
A contest entry
- I want new favourites. by broken-colours.
400 points, ended December 2, 2008, 36 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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Excellent write, I can really relate to this. I was thinking the same thing the other day, I wish I had never gone there, wasted seven years there with him. Now I have wasted three years just thinking of him. I wish I could forget.
Sorry no help with the title, just don't know.
Love it.
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omg this is absolutley brilliant, wow im awestruck this is is GREAT haha i usually like rhyming poems , but yours proves to me that poems dont have to rhyme to be brilliant honestly i think this is great,
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Actually, do go with ""That Girl"".
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Wow. I loved this-- and I agree, it didn't drag, it's gorgeous, painful, but gorgeous. Not the style I usually read, but I loved it all the same. . . and now I'm writing a hollow comment. Don't you hate that? And please don't go with "That girl" .
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Thank you so much!
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wow. i didn't even notice how long it was until i read your comment, lol. that's how you KNOW it was good, because i was captivated by it the whole time. definitely not a bore. loved it.
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Thanks
x
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I think you should go with That Girl.
this is a very good poem. i like it a lot. some parts are a little hard to get your eyes around, but it's all good. great job.
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Thanks! I'm surprised (and exceptionally grateful!) that somebody actually managed to finish it!
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