Childhood

It's about

Growing up

And quite about changing,

Going     all     the      way  

From

Pretty pink dresses

To black skinny jeans

 

From a princess on Halloween,

And a ninja on the next

 

From being so absolutely positive of being a cowgirl when I grow up

To not even knowing

Entirely

who I am now

From every morning,

Complaining and complaining

On and on about hair that went on and on

To cutting it all off,

Once with permission, and again without

 

From braids like Katniss

To bangs like Sara

 

From nothing but pink

To mostly black

 

From pop and back

To emo, then punk

On to the 80's, then forwards to 90's rock

And all the way back to indie

 

From trying to be just like becca

To counting down the days

Until she finally leaves for college

 

From that time when I wore a mustache all day long

Just for the hell of it

To getting really pissed when

I am stereotyped

And get stared at and redirected to the girls' section

When I shop sometimes in the boys'

 

From not caring one whit about school

To always completing the endless studying and projects and homework

That are just oh-so-important for

Everything

Although

It can be awfully hard to tell how,

Sometimes

 

From only having boys as my friends

To getting gossiped about for it

But then deciding the girls aren't really that bad

I happen to be one, after all

 

From being terrified to even cross the street

Being afraid of drains

Because there's an alligator

Living

Down in the sewer, of course
(or is it a crocodile?
Now I can't even remember)

To taking the subway

Alone

Everyday to school



And that's growing up

and Changing

and most things in between

                       For me.