The High School Years by James Shammas

Every birthday, she asked if I was happy she birthed me,
the miracle three pound "premee" who looked like a chicken,
the quiet wiz-kid who groped for answers
beginning with those heavy encyclopedia books
bending the tops of the dusty wood shelves built just for us.
At fourteen, she would grope me with a smile,
looking for hair in private places that made me her man,
so amusing when performed on "Baby Boy A," identical twin Dan.
Thereafter, I gave her valentines as young sons should,
speeding down high school hallways, freezing in front of
short skirts and fallen bra straps,
recalling Dad's only admonition to wear a condom on Saturday nights.
And at the top of my class, I toasted them both:
The thawing tears and slugged down cheers,
promising Dad that trip to Bimini when I made my first million
until he faded with an intoxicated wind,
his heart stopping one day, Mom's going strong
until I stopped sending valentines.
And so when she asked me with a sultry flair,
would I throw roses on her grave,
I replied with a white, frozen smile,
"If I could only reach past this chunk of dirt,
since it seems I who lie under clay and earth."

Prev Chapter

Chapter List

Next Chapter

Spell Check

Rhymer

Poetry Analyst

Help Us Stop Plagiarism - Nearly all works at PnP are original. However a few people choose to plagiarize. To check, choose a phrase from the work, then either drag and drop to the search box or copy and paste. click on search and works at Google will be shown which match. Just to be sure, please do this before you recommend or rate the work highly...

*If you think this work is plagiarized please*

Select a Random Work
from Poetry

Prose-n-Poetry.com

The High School Years
by James Shammas (Age: 44)
copyright 03-21-2005

Age Rating: 13 to 127

Prose-n-Poetry.com

The High School Years by James Shammas (Age: 44) copyright 03-21-2005 Age Rating: 13 to 127

The High School Years
by James Shammas (Age: 44)
copyright 03-21-2005

Age Rating: 13 to 127