I Miss Her

A recent poem

She’s still in the backyard in August
Jean shorts that are getting a little too short 
And straight across bangs 
Holding a sweaty Coke, pilfered from her grandma’s fridge 
Counting lightning bugs with her friends 
She hasn’t been told yet 
That she’s too loud
Too mouthy 
Too smart for her own damn good 

She’s doodling in Geometry 
Her name with the last one 
Of some boy who smells 
Like the packet from Top Ramen 
And who doesn’t think of her ever 
She doesn’t know yet 
That love hurts sometimes 
And boys can be so cruel 
Or that life isn’t fair 

She’s sitting shotgun in a U-Haul 
With her “anywhere but here 
As long as I’m with you” feeling 
Stars in his eyes for her 
And freedom in her heart with him 
She hasn’t figured out 
Those long crying nights 
Or saying goodbye to the road 
She didn’t take instead 

She’s holding her heart outside of her body
Tiny fresh baby fingers wrapped around one of hers
Rocking and patting all night long 
So tired that the hair on her head hurts 
Smelling like sour milk 
She’ll learn that sons grew taller,
drift away like boats in a harbor 
And these days don’t last forever