second adolescence

you're crushed, like in high school...

sophomore year sitting in the back of class

shorter than anyone else

you lose your attention span

birds fly by the window to where you would go

you...beyond this room, beyond this interlude.

but your history...a senior in Latin class

the last one they ever had there

sum, es, est, sumus, estis, sunt

the words echoing in a narrow hallway

like a structure for the weary mind

or a recitation of your phone number

your mother made you repeat it 

until that lingering uneasiness left your soul...

you...who wandered aimlessly through adolescence.

you're crushed, like in a dusty old book

sitting alone in the crisp breeze at a picnic table

more silent than anyone else

more alone in this connected world

the children chattering like squirrels playing

you...waiting for the coming ice cream

a second adolescence has descended

and your mind is wandering aimlessly again.