"Thats just growing pains,"they said
I stood on my two ripened caterpillar legs
trying to escape flesh cocoons
and took their word for it
my legs did lengthen
only bottling the butterflies of restlessness
in my feet

we were taught of cell structures
and of Jupiter's moons
while confusion
that couldnt be molded into a question lingered
clouding our hearts
we wandered around heavy
and stumbling like drunks
but we were aware of our fumbling feet
and slurred speech
no matter how hard we tried
to straighten ourselves
into frames of false expectation we fell
short
embarrassing intoxication without
the mercy of forgetfulness
how were we to know
that growing up feels a lot like
retreating down into the things
that brought perspiration to the underside
of our clipped wings

No one tells you that
its normal to feel too large for your
changing body and too old for your age
"Someday youll know what its like to be old" they say
hushed forewarning thick on their breath
leaving you to writhe in your bed
smothering in blankets
of unfamiliar emotion
they forgot to tell you that youll grow
into yourself
comfortably