Red

Your cheap red nail polish leaves streaks on the paper we pass back and forth
Two different styles of handwriting, fitting together perfectly
A type of poetry, though I misspell every other word
And your grammar is atrocious

We talk about anything and everything
Except, of course, for the classwork we’re supposed to be doing
We talk about sports, and how I hope you’ll come to my game next week
We talk about the school play, and what parts you’ll try out for
And how I know you’ll get the lead role

We talk about the school dance, and how
For a few hours
I let the weight of the world fall off my shoulders
And how you saw, and pulled me into the center of the circle
A smile on your face and a laugh on your lips

But you want to talk about the boys
Which ones noticed you, which ones danced with you
And which ones were dying to talk to you but too shy to approach
I was too busy staring at you to notice a single one of them