Untitled

Once on a crumpled scrap of paper
Smeared with lipstick blots and ink splatters
She wrote a poem
And she called it "Valentine's Day"
And that's what it was all about
She wrote of a boy in her math class
Who had a big personality and kind eyes
And of his kisses in the back of his Jeep
And of all the things he said to her
And of the way he said he loved her
And how she loved him too
That was the day she learned what that word meant
The day when she found she could trust
And be comfortable
And still feel butterflies with each touch
That was the year her little brother moved away
The year her mother and father fought
And still found ways to loathe one another
With a 300 mile distance between them
The year when she lost her best friend
And smirked with a "good riddance,"
And didn't mind being lonely at lunch
Because she didn't eat anyway
That was the year she counted calories
And slashed her skin with razorblades
And stopped singing in the shower
That was the year she almost gave up
Except she didn't
Because a boy in her math class
Told her happy stories
And listened to her talk
And sang her songs
And held her hand
And saved her
And he didn't even know he'd done it
He never knew he fixed her
Because she never told him she was broken
Until she was better
And that's when she knew what love meant
When the boy took her out
To the river that Valentine's Day
And they curled up on a blanket and watched stars
And talked all night while the moon rose
And he said he loved her
For the hundredth time
And she returned those words
And knew for certain
That this time she meant them
And so she wrote a poem
On a crumpled scrap of paper
Smudged with lipstick and ink stains
And she was content with the world
Because she accepted the boy
And her family
And every unfortunate circumstance
That led to all her silly mistakes
That was the year
She was content with herself
That was the year she learned how to love