Wishing to be 18
by Brenda Davis Harsham
wishing away
my youth
wishing the days gone
so I can be gone
from a place of
confinement
where I can’t be real
I have to be fake
to pretend no feelings
have no opinion
make no waves
ask for nothing
do my chores
finish my homework
watch the sun set
the snow fly
the rain grizzle
through my window
damping myself into poetry
where my words
can sprout
grow wings
fly away
like me
one day
soon.
Someday,
I will own
a cat.
AUTHOR’S PHOTO CAPTION: Me at 18 holding Mouser the Cat, alas not mine, but not loved the less for belonging to someone else.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Adolescence can be a tough time, an awkward time of waiting to grow up. Books and poetry were a balm to my soul. One dream that didn’t let go of me was having a pet. Luckily, my inner kid brings me joy, all these years later.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brenda Davis Harsham lives and works in New England. Her poetry and prose have been published in anthologies or journals including the Best of Today’s Little Ditty, NY Literary Magazine, Silver Birch Press, The Writing Garden and The Paperbook Collective. One of her poems won First Place in NY Literary Magazine’s Awake Best Poetry Contest. She writes poetry and fairytales for kids of all ages at FriendlyFairyTales.com and tweets as @BrendaDHarsham.
Silver Birch Press 
Thanks, Melanie. The poem looks great here!
Reblogged this on Friendly Fairy Tales and commented:
Here is a poem of being 17 and a photo of me with a friend’s cat. Have a magical weekend!
Wishing the time away seems to happen at that age. It’s good we can get back some childhood joy later in life! I think it make up for those years we spent trying to be grown up.