(Be) Longing: A Poem Written By Charlie, A Boy In Middle School

(Be)longing

When I was 8 years old
I wanted to be one of the guys
More than anything
I wanted to belong in their world

Voices deep like grown men’s
A foreign language unknown to me
The sound of boards hitting concrete
made my skin tingle like a sunburn

Just a bunch of guys being physical
Light-headed from too much sun
Out of control and trying to impress
Their bodies a mystery to an 8 year-old

Butterflies dancing in my stomach
and something else
But I was too young to understand
what that feeling meant.




Thanks to the author, Charlie, for letting me share this poem that he wrote back when he was in Middle School. And Check out Charlie's blog!