College Visit

Why am I here I’m just a kid

I look like a freshman

But in the days before the performance I feel and think nothing

so I asked what homework I’d miss before I could stop me

I dressed up in my college shirt and now I’m here

They’ll laugh when I say something I don’t know is weird

Like when I didn’t take off my stage makeup

and I forgot I had fake wrinkles on my face

and I never wear makeup so my face was all pimply

Look out, not down. Look at all the people and know that they’re there

And prepare

I always act on instinct

But instinct is born of practice

and on the first time through I have to think about everything

But they don’t look as old as I thought

But I can’t tell if the smiles are pretending

But we talk about different majors, then books and that feels alright

One girl has read my favorite series twice

I say I’ve read it thrice-

but I didn’t like the sixth book, I think the fifth was the best

We make food together

And the professor is nice

I help clean everything up

Because I don’t want to leave

I feel warm and glowing

like I always do under the lights

during the bows on opening night