Saturday, February 15, 2020

Middle School Love Note #PoetryFriday


My one little word for 2020 is commit. I have made "10 Commitments" and one of them includes participating, supporting and engaging with my social media communities. Poetry Friday is one I have participated in, yet not very consistently. When I saw that Linda's round-up post was all about hearts and love and Valentine's Day, I decided to share the poem that I wrote for Sarah Donovan's 5-Day Poetry Challenge.

The poem prompt was from "Twenty Questions" by Jim Moore. I wrote about the innocent yet anxious time of middle school love. 


Middle School Love Note

Do you like me?

Do the butterflies begin to flutter the minute the bell rings?
Or does your stomach rumble because your breakfast is already gone?
Do you quickly glance to see if I am looking as we pass each other in the hall?
Or do you avoid my gaze?
Does your arm tingle when our elbows innocently touch while shutting our lockers?
Or do you think the bump was clearly an accident?
Do you write my name in the middle of your notebook so no one will see it?
Or do you even know my name?
                Or how to spell it?
Do you wish you had my scrunchie around your wrist?
Or do you wish I had short hair?
Does the teacher call on you when she catches you daydreaming about holding hands in the bleachers of the high school basketball game?
Or are you dreaming about making the last second shot?
Does your face turn red when I walk into the classroom?
Or are you too busy messing around with your friends to even see me?
Does your heart skip a beat when you read “write a poem” on the objective board?
Or do you roll your eyes disgusted with thought of writing about your feelings?
                Or do you even have feelings?

Do you like me?
Or did I already ask that?

© Leigh Anne Eck, 2020




4 comments:

  1. Hi Leigh Anne, How great to see you here. Welcome back to Poetry Friday! You know I taught those middle-schoolers, and will love them always. My oldest granddaughter is changing and will be a sixth grader next year. I feel for her, lots going on in her mind these days. But she will persist! Your poem fits the age so wonderfully, one fraught with anxiety but also happy, happy times. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. You really captured the teen angst of "do you like me." Passing notes was a big deal when I was a teen.

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  3. You got this just right? Love how the pairs of questions express the insecurity of the middle school brain.

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  4. Ah, the delights of Valentine's Day in middle school...

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