The preschoolers Are perfectly Lined up All of them Staring at me Fear widening their eyes.
I'm just the Ticket girl Passing on their Papers Before they step through The gate.
And I've been there Too Scared and Alone Reduced to a name and Barcode Rushed along by Those taller than me.
The only difference Between you and me Is that I'm too Old to cry.
But I can Guarantee that in Fourteen years You will be Just like me and Your tiny Hands will have Painted nails and a Clipboard Clicking your pen Counting the Blonde heads At your feet.
You'll be A different barcode And you'll be the Ticket girl instead of me.
And when you get home And your stud earrings Have been removed Will you still be Nothing more than a Slip of paper The water vapor that clings To the windows?
The same Ticket girl Hesitating At the gate?
You and I We're both the same Thinking today Might change everything We must be somewhere Now And we've Stalled Hit a cleanly painted White wall And hidden ourselves From stepping out.
From barcodes we come To barcodes we return Whether or not We're tall Enough to be the Ticket girl.