Popcorn

Girlhood is texting your crush because it's late at night and you don't know any better. 

Girlhood is staring way too hard at the prettiest girl in class. 

Green is my favorite color,

It's the color of the life on earth,

the color of the natural beauty everywhere.

I couldn't live without green,

I think you are my green,

five years spent practicing, learning, building community around myself, so beautiful

here on the mats, ponytail swinging, laughter,

saturdays from nine to ten-thirty, then eight to ten-thirty,

My mother wasn’t born this strong.

No, her strength comes from years of labor.

Labor of the body, 

Labor of the mind.

My mother’s shoulders are strong;

Home. We’re home. I didn’t need to open my eyes. I knew we were home. I knew we were getting close. I had memorized the roads leading from the highway back to the house nestled in the little neighborhood I called home.