5/9 Exercise

Like Stevie Nicks,
I am on the Edge of Seventeen and late as usual
for another day in the grind at BLS
A belligerent Dad drives me
to Forest Hills
where I impatiently await the Orange Line's sluggish arrival
At Ruggles I haul myself off
and run for the #28 bus
Mr. Casey catches me trying to sneak in and gives me detention
But I won't go; I despise Room 115's daily crowd of punks
and as I am CVS's indentured servant
Assistant Maligner Ruth will skin me alive
if late again for my 3 o'clock shift
After History,
I sit with Eileen at lunch
We are bored with Maura's ramblings
and Jackie's obscenity
So we ditched out and cut 6th period Latin as well,
hiding in the girls' room, smoking Marlboro Reds
We fancy ourselves tough - but Katharine Hepburn tough - strong and classy
while there we sit, smoking on the filthy Lavatory floor
After school, I catch a ride with Krissy
and she drops me at CVS
where Porter makes the time fly by talking my ear off
David, ever the obnoxious brother, leans on the horn for me at 9
and we bicker until we coast onto Leniston Street
and ignore each upon entering Giordano Manor
The phone is ringing Banshee-like
I grab for it, but it's for Mom
So I bring the phone to darling Mother
languishing in bed for days now, our own Typhoid Mary
Lingering by the door, like Curious George, I accidentally eavesdrop
and overhear Mom say, she's going to have a baby.