--- K I R S T E N   T H O R P E

i thought of the treehouse
i was gonna build
won't need anybody
sending off resumes
my signature got small and thin
the world stayed big
by brother was born when i was six
his feet are huge
and i was kicking boys
boys i liked
watching tears slide down between his nose
his cheekbone
when i told him what i did
i'll trade you dimples for foregiveness
i'll trade you my peanutbutter sandwich
for all the cards signed, "your friend"
why can't we got to the beach?
why is it 11:47 on a saturday night
and i'm talking to my dad on a telephone
when i was six i went to bed at ten
i woke up with my hair in knots
good morning tangles
my roomate broke my brush
when i was six i taught my bear to read and write,
my sun to shine, my thunder to quiet
now, i can't teach myself to breath.