Suddenly August

The blue-eyed girl opens her eyes Long before the alarm plays its tune. The sun hasn’t awaken yet As she dresses in her room. She needs help with her laces After she dons her skirt, She buttons up her vest, Over a clean, pressed shirt. She’s been waiting for today Since the minute she could walk, She’s been talking about today since the second she could talk. It was her very first day of school. Five-years-old was grown up now. She was going to be amazing, She had made that secret vow. She fiddles with her backpack, And she cannot understand, The girl who thought she was grown up Cannot let go of Mommy’s hand. Fast forward twelve short years Blue-eyed girl hits the snooze Then remembering what today is, She knows she has no time to lose She doesn’t need help with her laces ‘Cause flip-flops don’t require work She changes clothes a dozen times, Settling on a clean, pressed shirt. Fiddling with her messenger bag, She walks to where her friends all stand. But suddenly all she wants to do, Is hold her mommy’s hand. Seventeen and she thinks she’s grown But she’s been saying that all along And through the years, and tears, and laughs Sometimes this perception was wrong But she never gave up her vow She knew she’d make it through So finally, she has arrived To her last first day of school