QueenBee

There should be a word

For ages thirteen through seventeen.

There should be a word

Like childhood or adulthood

That describes

Being a teenager.

Adolescence is one, yes

But it doesn't fit.

Schoolwork

Homework

How exciting.

I think my teachers are trying to kill me.

They assign lots of assignments

Worksheets, sometimes a quiz

Normally I wouldn't mind

But I'm not a math whiz.

I wanted to stay there forever

Under that tree with you.

I wanted to lie there

Live beneath the sky's blue.

I wanted to look at the constellations at night

And name the clouds' shapes in the daytime.

Irreplaceable

Is us

You and I

Together

Joking and laughing from things like the weather

To ghost cows and weird books and crazy ideas

To fanfictions and emails and drafts we'll never send.

I don't believe in love at first sight.

I don't believe in miracles

That happen overnight.

I don't believe in princes

With perfect hair and smiles

And I don't believe in fairy godmothers

You wish I'd give in

You wish I'd give up.

You'd wish I'd stop fighting

For me and for us.

You wish I'd stop arguing

Stop pointing fingers

You wish I'd quit blaming

But my fire, it lingers.