For the length of a chalk piece

(Author's Note: A girl in my chem class.)

It's that fake lisp
her want to be a
"medical major"
knowing Duke's
ball coach's brother
doesn't hold much clout.

Holding to petty
conveniences
and an expensive calculator
fake fingernails
fumble pencils

It's enough to make
me vomit.

Brags too much
talks too much
asks too many stupid questions
takes up too much space
breathes too much air

Enough make-up
to make four starving third-world families
pretty
her need to "make the equations
colorful and special"

She can't see that they are already special.
She can't see that.

Cold efficient
tapping grate on black board
is only barely enough
to keep the bile down
The gentle gleaming math
stoichiometry
cations, anions
compounds, limiting
reactants

keep her and her world
away for the length
of a chalk piece.


3,040 views 5 replies
Reply #1 Top
Going out on a limb here...but it looks like you have a little bit of resentment for this girl...

Very good poem, Al.

~Zoo
Reply #2 Top
I don't resent her... that would mean there was something to resent.
Reply #3 Top
I don't resent her... that would mean there was something to resent.


Must you bitch about any word I use? ...Eventually there will be some resentment....I'm just a bit premature

~Zoo
Reply #4 Top
Not really... I don't think I'll see her much after this week. She's a commuter, so she doesn't eat here, and she's not on campus.
Reply #5 Top
Good and visceral - but, it sounds like you secretly like her.