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
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!
ReplyDeleteYou really captured the teen angst of "do you like me." Passing notes was a big deal when I was a teen.
ReplyDeleteYou got this just right? Love how the pairs of questions express the insecurity of the middle school brain.
ReplyDeleteAh, the delights of Valentine's Day in middle school...
ReplyDelete