Spiral Notebooks

Pens and Erasers

aisles filled with trapper keepers

And poster paper

And glue

And looking for deals on new

sweaters or shirts or

those new

jeans

and new-ish

or pretty new,

or when lucky, brand new

even,

sneakers

or was it tennis shoes

or kicks

or what’s that?

trainers

cross trainers,

and that feel of lacing them up

or unlocking and locking the velcro

for the first time

And that black and white

television static look

on the outside of

composition books

waiting for

the name of the class

to be printed, or drawn, or scribbled,

on sharp black lines across the front

and the floor that always squeaked more in the

lunchroom than

anywhere else

maroon lunch trays

square milk

thick cheese pizzas

and bench tables

without any,

or else with way too much, room

And fifth period

always the favorite

because it’s English

or Phys ed

or Life Skills

except that one time it was angry

math with an angry teacher

and you remember that still

and remember standing at the chalkboard to this day,

and the excitement or dread,

of going to a new school

or returning to the old school

and the ring of the bells

before during and after

that let you know whether you were

in the right place

at the right time

and where you were in the day

and imagining, what it’d be like

a future life,

when nothing inside those busy school

walls could stop you

or nothing inside

of life, before and after

in home’s rooms and halls

or inside the neighborhood

or town, or city, or inside the

local their parents are never

home

always party house

or in the repetitive squeak, and click,

and chatter of the mall,

no nothing could stop you,

your future life

waiting to meet

you one day

soon

and ‘til then

every new near

with the books and the bells

and the who’s back with who

and the homework now due

easing

another day closer

another fall closer

to what was there

waiting

for you

yes

somehow

there waiting

that future

life

wanting

to

make

its way

back to you

wanting to

have you see

that

parts of

what

you

imagined

wow they have

come true

and

though many parts

have been harder than

you may have wanted

you’re still

standing,

still reaching,

and dare yes!

still,

even now,

to be dreaming

of future you

~ N.P.

Written By: Nika Patrice.
Attribution: Nika Patrice.

© September 22, 2023. All Rights Reserved.