Little Girl

The first day of school

Daddy dropped me off

Racing out of the car

I did a twirl

Then a hop

A beeline to Mrs. King's

My own girl.

Sixth grade

Girls started to shave

I looked at my legs

Bare and gangly

I did it anyway.

Freshman year

I tried to hide

A self-conscious girl

Little in size

In a school so wide

Where would I go?

What should I do?

Not my own

No belonging, at the four-year zoo.

After eighteen long years,

A smile returned

The worries faded away

Replacing with familiar feelings

I had when I was young

Determined