Teen Angst, Circa 2013
Hard to see why you’d
want to chose a
long distance relationship
with someone
you sit next to
in class.
No, she’s not yr
girlfriend,
so she won’t be invited over
with parental consent.
Relegated
to texting
all summer long.
American Motivation
It will be
accomplished
if you can just
run up the hill
With each step
Get Thin
Get Confidence
Get Wealth
Get Happiness
Get Love
Get up the hill
Get Pretty
Get Pretty
Get Pretty
Higher Pursuit
Why wait?
For god’s sake
why wait?
The men sit under
trees, planning the
Future, envisioning
green beyond the white.
Cool floorboards
they are yours
all yours.
Look at your saint
he tells you
don’t wait
go.
Now.
Interrupt that
sweat-faced silence.
Start again.
Modern Liberal
If left to ourselves
the past would
remain a short ride
Devoid of the truth
(a hummer)
we make believe all
went well
That we behaved ourselves
That we didn’t slam down
our foot on the accelerator
Just to frighten you
We believe in
the false Prius
We believe in our own shady goodness
Never flattened
squirrels
Never stole a parking spot
Dick: York or Sargent
Geek chic.
Stupid goddamn
glasses is what
I call it.
Never saw the
appeal, seeing as
I’ve always styled
myself as a
nerd or dork.
Strike that:
I was not self-styled,
I was unaware that
by reading so . . .
much
I had turned a corner:
Book worm with poor posture.
It’s taken 15 years
for me to figure out how to
talk to strangers.
Eyesight steadily worsening.
And I’m finally
wearing clothes that fit.
So: pretty boys
and pretty girls
who think they
belong on the
awkward spectrum
are more than a
little preposterous.
How many episode guides
have you read?
Worst fake ever,
fan boy.
—
Emily Treakle-Chase is a writer, reader, employee, parent, pet owner, volunteer, and wife living in the shadow of Mt. Rainier.
