Gali

she walks into the room like a sentence that forgot to whisper

light brown hair pulled back in a way that says she didn’t try

but still somehow gets it right

clear glasses catching the light

it won't be flashy, showy, or

even remotely special to the untrained eye

but those who've suffered the burden of 

knowing me will understand why

my next trick is magical.

from the seventh grader who

i hope that you rest easy as the world

tumbles down into fire

for you did everything you could

& we didn't do enough. it was never

your fate to carry the failures of

common sense & education, but now

I don't know you anymore.

I learned this

Today.

Gone is the silly boy

As tall as I was

That purple beanie obsession

We all shared -

Tank tops in summer, Crocs all year round,

Not anymore.

I want to grow up but I don’t.

But I do

but I don’t.

But lucky for me I don’t have to make that decision.

I’m forced to grow up whether I like it or not.

When I saw you

No, not when I 

saw you

But when I 

saw you.

That was when I knew that there was something among me that needed you

always

to be 

near me