a little girl’s voice
floats through the window, dances
in the warm September air
it’s a new year and she’s taking
chances
when the class plays math games
she highlights errors in the instructions
she reads chapter five
while the class mauls the
introduction
true, she gets in trouble
but why should this girl care?
the adrenaline and appreciation
make it worth the
dare
it’s such a great feeling to be the hostess
the one who other ones need
the girl who asks tough questions
who helps you out and who can
lead
the girl was me who they looked up to
but gradually I grew
I left kids’ games behind
because finally I
knew
the feeling’s cool but it won’t last
people get tired of your act
always the one to hold teachers up
or blurt out an answer or challenge a
fact
I wasn’t fooling anyone
least of all myself
I just needed a challenge
more than books on a
shelf
I needed the rush that it gave me
the cross between giver and clown
but now I’m older, more secure
confidence has let me settle
down
it’s hard to build up people’s trust
but I’ve done it once or twice
now like that first day in September
I’ve built a new self, quiet and
nice
when you try to be someone else
you’re not always being untrue
you may discover that the things you made up
were always a part of
you
by Mary Liz White