3 poems
by Emily Corwin
Emily Corwin’s writing has appeared in Salamander, Black Warrior Review, Passages North, DIAGRAM, Ninth Letter, New South, and elsewhere. Her books include tenderling (Stalking Horse Press, 2018), Sensorium (University of Akron Press, 2020), and Marble Orchard (forthcoming from University of Akron Press, 2023). She lives and works in Michigan with her love-person, Joe, and her very pretty cat, Soup.
2001
Rubber glue, back to you.
I have a crush on P. We have seven classes together each day and here’s his schedule.
I luv ur pen—is it a Jelly Roll?
An orange sweater that comes with a free locket.
In Science, I got stuck in the “musculoskeletal” system group.
We’re supposed to make skeletons out of straws and muscle tendons out of wire.
I made a horse named Sally at Build-a-Bear.
D was crying about not being the tallest.
This is how my friends told it to me—the rumor was all over the classroom.
She makes a wish every day and has a purple journal. I’ll record my wishes here:
-
I wish I didn’t have this stupid outfit.
-
I wish I didn’t have ballet.
-
I wish it wasn’t Thursday.
2002
Six bad things happened to me today.
It’s really sorrowful, and sad.
Me and N have to run the mile again.
A good reason she’s my best friend is because we understand each other’s thoughts and feelings.
Mrs. S said she would give out detention slips for any late people.
I saw P turn pink as I walked by and he was tying his shoes.
My goal is to have him still like me through high school so we can go to prom together.
Disney Channel rocks! They made two awesome movies: Get a Clue and Gotta Kick It Up!
N had another slumber party. We pretended there was monster in the pool
and watched Max Keebel’s Big Move.
I just got my Dell laptop. I sent my first emails ever.
J’s password is “Winky” and mine is “Misty7”.
My locker combination is: 20-44-6.
We learned today about our “body”.
The first school dance is this Friday—a huge step for puberty!
On my birthday, my friends decorated my locker.
On Saturday, we went Glo-Bowling, made prank phone calls, watched A Walk to Remember.
We had the Scholastic Book Fair and I got a fuzzy pen (but it barely works at all).
2003
I got grounded for a day and no computer access.
This year, I am taking a “confirmation'' class.
In two years, I get to wear a white dress and be asked questions.
The research question for my science fair project is: “Which brand of microwave popcorn leaves
the least amount of unpopped kernels?”
We had our portraits done for the church directory. Mike was our photographer.
We had a very nice portrait.
I go to a new dance school, where I have NO FRIENDS.
Dad and I got into a fight. I hate him (maybe?)
The name of our cottage is Calypso.
This summer is kind of going flat.
S, I know, reads this journal. Maybe when I’m old, I’ll get around to it.
Tomorrow will be 2004.