One brother-in-law
a mom
a dad
Nana
and grandmom betty
Three aunts
Too many cousins to count…
firsts and seconds
Family.
Daddy,
I ask,
How do you spell “I love you?”
writing a letter to my sister
So that I can pretend to be the mailman
Sophie pettit?
I ask,
Is there a sophie pettit here?
My sister giggles,
Raises her hand
That’s me!
I give her the letter
in the “official-looking” envelope
that only says,
“I love you.”
with soph in second grade,
I now start Kindergarten
I feel so grown up, walking
through those doors
Hello Kitty dress on
notebooks in my bag
lunch in my hand
New
classmates,
friends
Inside
at first
I cannot tap
Not for my
life
But I work
and Work
and Work
Until i am as good as those
older girls
Until my shuffles become
Effortless
And my wings
are nearly perfect
and even then,
I work harder still
Because tap is not “just dance” to me,
but it has become who I am
Middle school?
’cross the hallway.
the other side of the Link.
think i’ll be sick that day…
wait…
All year?
till college?
Guess i’m
gonna have to try…