To The Girl in the Green Chuck Taylors

Two things to note: Highly stylized, and an intentional riff on Sylvia Plath's Daddy.

It had better do
it had better do
as well as that green
running shoe
that dangles off the edge
of your toe
in class
while I sit next to you.

I'm so close, but see-through,
like a lie, feelin' untrue
and you daydream about
God knows what
or who.

With myself I don't know
what to do
out of ideas and feelin' blue
left with only the memory
of being next to you
when the bell goes
and class is through.

I had a pair just like yours
until my feet grew,
we have that much in common,
bet you never knew.
I have so much to say,
but find myself mute,
can't use my voice,
only grunt like a brute.

Can't use the wits
upon which I drew
from for many years
to get by at school,
for fear it's just more
annoying to you.

Indie girl, indie girl you
with your little looks
and little crew,
all of whom I know,
but I don't know who through.
What else I have to offer
I haven't got a clue
how to get through to the cool,
cool heart of a cool girl like you.

So those times I see you
are the times I rue,
I make little gestures I hope you don't
misconstrue,
I walk by your locker
every day
at two
shyness stopping my mouth
like glue.

I wrote you a poem,
but it pretty much blew.

I'd hate to break the silence
out of the blue
even in the chance I might
make friends a new
that's just not what I want
to settle for from you.
I've got to move,
at the risk of being crushed
beneath that shoe
it's worth it,
it's worth it,
it's true,
I want everything,
everything
or I'm through.

Reviews

[Lola Nation]

I had to laugh when I read this "I wrote you a poem,
but it pretty much blew." -- I get it.

I had a crush on a poet in class once, when I finally got the nerve to tell him "I just loved your poem in class today..." He looked at me and said "really, I thought it sucked..." and pivoted away. (that would go on for several years)

But I loved this ... brings back all my awkward memories (or realities too)

:)

[cest la vie]

Two things.I have 3 pair of Chuck Taylors and "Daddy" is the first poem I memorized...

This is wonderful.. Excellent writing

[Lola Nation]

I just caught the Plath reference - nice.

[J.P. Bristow]

I loved the flow-very musical/lyrical.....this captured that almost teenage like angst I think everyone lives/(d) through....some stay quiet but others would be emboldened by that shoe.....but tell her it the arc of her neck or the sway of her smile that caught hold of you in class for I'm afraid if you say you write odes to her shoe it wouldnt be Cinderella like fantasies that dance in her head but the unease of dealing with Doctor Finklestein. cheers!