i am not a girl of strength
can’t quite get the swing right
and the bumpers are still up
at twenty-one – i know, i know,
but in such clumsiness i’m having fun

over and over again
the room bursts open with neon
lights, music, mixed machine noise
wide eyes wander to stuffed toys
that i really don’t need

the lane is alight
somebody i love scores a strike
my tongue slushy blue
and my childish smile wide
i don’t think about what’s happening outside
i’m just here
with pleasures as simple as a poem