ADOLESCENCE

Anne Marie was looking at the pictures
in my high school year book.
She said my picture was ugly.
It really was.

I wore a suit and tie;
my hair was cut very short,
and it was combed straight back.

Below my picture,
someone had written:
“His thoughts are his own.”

When I was in high school,
I felt very isolated.
I pretended the other students
were made of stone,
so I would not feel
alone.