Love shouldn't be a dirty word
but it is.
With you, it is.
I am reminded of junior year
when the Zack of my crush
joked about the curly-haired nerd
sitting in front of me, friendless
and I laughed out of shame.
It is easy to laugh
when the taunt is aimed elsewhere
easy to love
when the heart stays hidden
easy to forget
when you say my name.
The price tag for banter:
a cost measured in the thousand miles
that separate us across closed borders.
When you spoke to her
you would look at me
and I would look back.
But now, I won't say anything
and neither will you.
Years and decades and millennia
have passed.
That time has passed.
Our time has passed.
About the Creator
Alison McBain
Alison McBain writes fiction & poetry, edits & reviews books, and pens a webcomic called “Toddler Times.” In her free time, she drinks gallons of coffee & pretends to be a pool shark at her local pub. More: http://www.alisonmcbain.com/
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from Alison McBain and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (3)
There is a lot to ponder here, some wonderful words
"It's easy to laugh when the taunt is aimed elsewhere" The poem is a few lines in and already I'm hit with a shattering depth and reminded of the guilt of being a voice in the mindless crowd despite knowing it was wrong. It's easy to get lost in what could have been... The mind really likes to focus on possible alternatives. I dont know why it does that, lol. You've expressed well a romance which many of us likely think about from days gone, but I really hope you're happy wherever you are now and that you are able to not think about might-have-beens so much. I cannot sing your praises enough, Alison. Your writing is so damm powerful and you say so much with just a few words. As always, wishing you the best for the challenge.
so sad…and trying to forget things we did as mean kids is…not doable if we have kindness in us. We feel bad and it's a shame we can't fix it by going back because saying 'sorry' sometimes isn't enough. I also think that within we punish ourselves for something small we did and that person doesn't remember or give it any thought, LOL.