First Day Of Math Without You

by Lizbeth Rivas
(Junction City, OR, United States)

Spacing off,
Chewing gum,
Light skins,
White legs,
New bags,
New hairs,
Even new faces,
Familiar faces,
Popping bubbles,
Teacher speaking,
Students introducing,
I’m barely listening,
Last name he calls,
I look up,
Hoping you were back,
Thinking you were never gone,
I’m looking all around,
Smiling but with a frown,
Wishing you weren’t all lies,
Staring down wondering what I did wrong.
Now I realize that it wasn’t me... but you.