top of page
Writer's pictureshsimages

| Mandi Lu (11)

(I am here too) 


Here is the shrieking whistle’s selfish song 

Beside the bass line of my heartbeat 

Out. Out. Out. 

Behind the baseline of the court 

Between ephemeral games and fathomless shame

(I am here too) 


Here are my tirades unspoken 

Here is my pseudo-raconteur mock-sententious letter of complaint

To every seam of my skin you’ve broken 

To your palpable inability to care 

I liked the color yellow 

Before it was the color of your hair 

(I am here too) 


Here is my court-side-shame-hole 

The string between quintessentially and mediocrity

The string that knots between you and me 

You are the slash between the and and or 

Between happy and yours 

Between yellowing knee pads on yellow floors 

(I am here too) 


Here are vehement mascara stains 

In yellow locker room sinks and 

Here are blue group chats I would taint 

Sweet honey girls I will never be and 

If pride is a sin 

The sight of you makes me a saint 

(I am here too) 


Here are my sorrys 

Whispered through cracks between fingers 

Sorry I’m not better and blonder 

Sorry I served out the court 

I thought then maybe you’d notice me 

(because I am here too.)

25 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Unseen | Sonia Lamarre (11)

It's 5:30 AM in the morning, as my alarm rings It indicates the start to another excruciatingly long 24 hours I arrive at training at 6...

Comments


bottom of page