21 to 12 and back
in the card aisle at walmart
trying to find the perfect card for tasha
nate's sweet little sister who is turning 12
on friday
when i came to visit in chicago
and we shared a room and shared stories
i forgot for those hours that i was
applying to law school and would be
looking for an apartment in a year's time
the possibility of a high school musical 4
and how to open a locker combination
seemed much more pressing
and perusing through the card aisle today
trying to think of
what would have made me feel like a
princess on my big day
was no small feat surrounded by
cards screaming ROCKSTAR and
SPECTACULAR in electric colors and
photoshopped smiles being 12 years old
means figuring out how to ditch and dodge
what the media tries to jam down your throat
but i remember back in the day when
anything spice girls sent me into orbit
that part of growing up is fitting in
then figuring out a way to stand out
so i found the pinkest purplest
happiest card that they had
skipped down the aisle like i was 12
swiped my debit card like i was 21
walked back to my car and drove off
towards my twenty-something existence
