No Running In The Halls

"You don't have to suffer to be a poet;
adolescence is enough suffering for anyone"
- John Ciardi

No Running In The Halls
by denny

Now it seems so long ago
those first uncertain days
put away our childish play
new school and friends to make
to take the first tentative steps
into youthful adolescence.

Serious lessons to be learned
No more recess, now it’s Gym
Wow! – just look at him – you giggle
the first girlish infatuations
divert your glance, don’t let him see
did he look at me, does he even know
that I exist – Oh! I do hope so.

And then the words that break the spell
Children – get back to class
No running in the halls, no chewing gum
as if she doesn’t really understand at all,
how much older we’ve become ?