I learned the truth
at seventeen that love
was meant
for beauty queens
And high school girls
with clear skin smiles
who marry young
and then retire
The valentines I never
knew the Friday night
charades of youth
Were spent on one more
beautiful at seventeen
I learned the truth
And those of us with
ravaged faces lacking
in the social graces
Desperately remained
at home inventing lovers
on the phone
Who call to say come
dance with me in
murmured vague
obscenities
It isn't all it seems
at seventeen
A brown eyed girl
in hand me downs
whose name I never
could pronounce
Said, Pity please
the ones who serve
they only get what
they deserve
And the rich relationed
hometown queen marries
into what she needs
With a guarantee
of company and haven
for the elderly
Remember those
who win the game
lose the love they
sought to gain
In debentures of quality
and dubious integrity
The small town eyes
will gape at you
in dull surprise
when payment due
Exceed accounts received
at seventeen
Those of us who
knew the pain of valentines
that never came
And those whose names
were never called
When choosing sides
for basketball
It was long ago and
far away the world was
younger than today
And dreams were all
they gave for free
to ugly duckling girls
like me
We all play the game
and when we dare
to cheat ourselves
at solitaire
Inventing lovers on
the phone repenting
other lives unknown
They call and say
Come dance with me
and murmur vague
obscenities
At ugly girls like me
at seventeen
