EARLY VALENTINE
by Bryan Borland
Sixth grade stands out,
with Jay and his late-eighties hair,
the first boy in our class to discover
gels and spray and bathroom mirrors.
He was mean to me, jealous
because I was considered smarter,
because I made an appearance
on the television news
delivering the weather into homes
of the pretty little girls he loved.
I faked the results of the science experiment
that won me small-town media acclaim.
I faked the Valentine I chose for Jay that year,
Be My Friend
when I’m Yours hid in my backpack,
his name written then erased.
© Bryan Borland
*Inspired by this poem at Quid Pro Tau
love the couplets form
i like so much your connection with what is mundane and trivial. you make these things seem to most important things in life. and reading you – so they become..
I’m a fan of couplets, too, Dhyan. I need to write more in that form. Thanks for your comment! You get me!
This made me feel so sad and brought back my own bittersweet school love memories: Unrequited love from the kid at the back of the class who lives in her dreams. Thanks for writing a poem that took me back a few years to who I used to be. HUGS Happy Valenties Day…the TIES is intentional
Don’t be sad… we both ended up with good ones, right?
This is one wonderful poem, Bryan. Practically every line changed the perception of what I was reading, from melancholy, to laughter and back again. Few people can do that and make it seem so obviously right.
Thanks QL! You made me blush!
Aw, you’re a doll!
I absolutely love the last line: “his name written then erased.” It’s incredible how only one small action can suggest volumes about someone’s feelings. The compression of intense emotion into just one line is really impressive.
Thank you for inspiring this poem! I hadn’t thought about school-aged Valentine’s in years! I hope everyone clicks on your name and checks out your blog.
Bravo!!!
Again and again
Written and erased
Than written again!!!
Why thank you, Mr. Binder. Your exclamation points are appreciated!
Love this poem. I to love the last line and I remember that tv appearance!
I remember you trying to get all up in my camera shot, Jade. I was like, you best back off.
Also, “after all my scientific research, I conclude that Ned knows weather.”
The sad complexity of middle school…
The sad complexity of [insert life phase here]…
This conjures up memories from elementary school Valentines parties.
I was going to say something here, but medicatedlady said it better. (I hated those years. I love this poem.)
This poem loves you, Judy!
such a perfect piece
i remember getting a crushing valentine from a boy i was just DYING to hold holds with in like 6th grade it said “To Your friend and ONLY your friend.”
He, of course, was in love with my best friend and she had no interest in him. Haven’t found him on Facebook..yet
haha you said my piece is perfect.
That’s what HE said.
Keep stalking, Carty! One day you’ll find him!
Confession of a resurrected memory- (I know a good poem line, and working on it as we speak)
I just delivered the good right to the lips of Jimmy when I knocked him down with the help of Debbie and directly kissed him at least once a week. Oh how I long for Debbie’s help again…
The Smitten Kitchen
You are cookin’, creatively speaking, with these comments! You’re on fire! (Fun fact: Once I had a kitchen fire – I was attempting to cook rice. I guess something was on the burner. I tried to put it out with flour, a towel, and then a fire extinguisher, which blew the charred flour and burnt towel all around the kitchen. I thought you’d like to know this for some reason.)
This is a sweet poem. I keep reading it over and over. lol
“delivering the weather into homes
of the pretty little girls he loved.”
I thought “Oh, boy. Who’s jealous now!” lol