I love being a girl
by Isobel Arthen

I looove being a girl
I can paint my nails
I can put on make-up
I can flirt
I can punch
I can kick
I can scream, yell, shout
I can spit, burp, talk with my half-chewed food
Rolling over my tongue
I can tell when you are faking
I can tell when you are real
I can loose a friend, gain a friend.
Don't tell me to shut up.
Don't tell me I'm a ditz
Don't tell me I'm impolite
Don't be afraid to punch
I'll just punch back
like a girl...
yeah, like a girl
then what will you say?
Go tell your friend
you were hit by a car
they'll believe you from your scar
Don't tell me I'm tough
I brush my hair
I'm scared of
bad breath, broken nails, smelly armpits,
hairy armpits, stubble legs, snot
on my nose, crud on my eyes
from the night before.
Don't try to use it against me.
You can't.
I'm a girl.

I am Clear
by Clara Gardner

My name means clear
like the warm bath water
like the soft candle flame
like my bare reflection of
the empty field down the road
the ringing piano note
the beggar's hand
filled with glimmering jewels
filled with shining tears
of joy
filling his life with joy
with music and love
raining over the couple kissing in
the road
raining in the hot summer
moisturizing the dry land
bringing fresh tears of life to her eyes
raining down happiness
washing away pain and confusion
bringing new meaning
bringing the birth of the one who means
clear
bringing her warm hand to her daughter's
face
motherly and kind
bringing new meaning
to the beggar, to the mother, to
the one whose name means
clear

Shards
by Alma Sanchez-Eppler

he left it on the counter
standing solitaire
half empty
or half full
you never really can tell
he came again another
day and when he found
the contents gone he ripped
the can in two and put the
soda can shards in the trash
where their stripped edges
tore the flesh of anyone
who came near

he left her in the bedroom
standing solitaire
half empty
it seems he came again
another day to find her love
all gone he ripped her heart
in two to put the shards
of her heart in the trash
the sharp edges cutting
anyone
to come near