I am going to see my sister
who will be horrified at my clothes
who will pretend to be disinterested in my life
but who will really be pleased when I ask her all
about the boy and her classes and her friends
despite her dismissals

Today I changed my sheets,
for my best friend coming over
and the sheets are just washed, but
there's still a stain. So there's a difference
between experience and *****. Which
she and I know a little bit of,
at this point.

My parents are going to be glad to see me
I will wrap myself in their smiles
I will eat their food and be lazy about helping
them clean up and possibly argue with a sibling
but they will love me,
anyways.

Today I will not think about
him as much as I used to,
but I might think about him a little
more than I need to,
and I will weave a tapestry of my life
for my friend and I to giggle over
and I will immerse myself in her past months,
and we will drink wine and
chocolate and I will be thankful,
as terribly tacky as thanksgiving can be,
I will be so thankful to have the sun on my
face and people who are brave enough
to love me.