❝ p o l l y ❞

{ 40 }

no one at school

quite expected how

perilously

sick you are,

so they gather here outside your room

next to your soundless, aching parents

and they talk about the "sweet

kid" that you were

and that you were a great friend.

and they never mention the names

they called you,

{and you got called all kinds of names}

or the times that you never really

belonged.

and I stand there wondering

why they talk about you in the past tense.

I like you better in the present form, jack.

you're always better in the present.

-p