when i was young

they called infatuation

a crush.

i never knew why.

then i grew up

and i realized-

a crush is a crush

because it

crushes your lungs when they’re near;

crushes your mind when you can’t stop thinking of them;

crushes your heart when you’re not chose;

crushes your esteem because you’ll never be good enough.

and i have had

enough

of the adult world

where i know pain

for what it is,

not what it’s called.

take me back

to when i was seven.

when a crush was a word

and not something

that could hurt me.