Growing Up Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Once anyone decides,
They have arrived to live life...
On their terms.
Doing this the best they can.
Done to meet their own expectations.
For them there is no further need to find,
Excuses to make or explanations to state them.
And off into the World they go.
Facing obstacles and those to come.
With them unknown or shown,
How to undo them.
Since one has declared,
'I AM GROWN! '

"Where on Earth have you been?
Your father and I,
Have been worried sick.
We were thinking the worse,
Of what could have happened.
Where were you?
And why didn't you call?
We also CONTACTED your junior high school.
And was told you missed most of your classes.
I want an explanation...
Right now.
You hear me? "

-I ran away from home.-

"Excuse me?
You did WHAT! ? "

-I ran away from home.
But...
Forgot you and dad had made deposits,
In my checking account.
And came back to ask,
If I could borrow a few dollars.-

"Do we look like fools to you? "

-Why do people keep asking me that question?
How should I know.
I haven't seen you with that look before.
And other people keep staring at me.
Like...
Whether they should ignore me or laugh.-

"GO-To-Your-Room!
We need to discover,
What in your head isn't there to miss! "