When I Was Twelve


all I wanted
was the boy next door
home from college
to seal my chatter-
box with his
stoic Mount
Rushmore mouth.
I never would’ve
opened
for anyone
but him
I wanted
to kiss

all day long.
All day long

I chased him
round and round
the public
pool
grazing his red
nylon suit
when lucky and when
he tired
he’d throw me
faraway
and up
in the sun-
blasted air.