Happy People Poem by Jackie Symonds

I sat on the metal school bench
Thinking.
Hard.

Why had I wasted my time?
Sitting wasn’t going to help.
I jabbed a meatball on my red plastic plate.

I had been young, foolish and to happy
To understand,
That it was all down hill from here

I looked up.
I missed her.
Trying hard to stay focused

For I was telling a story.
In fifth grade
I had met my best friend.

(We weren’t very good friends then)
I had gone through the early stages of adolescence.
I was adapting.
Right.

I made mistakes with her.
Every recess after I cried.
Sobbing.
Pleading.
Waiting.

Eventually I got the nerve to say sorry,
Wiping every tear away,
Those tasteless tears were gone.

For they were useless.
I had become her best friend.
No more tears to shed on my melancholy mistake

I was happy.
As the rest of the year moved on,
I could not wait till sixth grade.
Until she told me she wouldn't be at my school

I had pressed on that memory for two years now.
I looked down a my lunch
And took 1 last bite before

A single tear fell down my cheek.

I was sad.

For she was gone.

Away.

Forever.

I stand alone.
In this white darkness.
Full of happy people.
All.
Except for me.