Sugar ’n Spice and Childhood’s Price

by Susan Eliason

A child’s life—

Filled with

Cartoons

And mudpies,

Jumping jacks

And crayons—

Seems so simple.

At times I long

To fingerpaint

Way past my elbows

(Who cares if my

Hair is green?)

And swing

Until forever

With a ladybug

In hand.

And then

I remember

Miss Horowitz

And division;

Scraped knees

And spinning wheels

Of dented bikes;

My unrequited,

Well-known crush

On “Skinny” Smith;

Those weigh-and-

Measure days—

In front of boys!

I’m glad

to be

in high school.