It Never Hits Me
it never hits me
until it's too late
recess, playgrounds, field trips, museums,
textbooks, classrooms, no A/C, Speech comp
teachers who teach, and those who teach you to teach yourself,
earning a trophy to place on the highest shelf
tears and burn-out, friends without a clue,
prom night, formals, dances, buffet food
standardized testing, resumes, recommendations,
and then comes
graduation,
as if I am the only student in the nation
advancing to a higher education
and when will I see these faces,
smiles, laughter, love, hugs, celebration,
expressions of joy, pride, and pain
when will I ever see them again?
no,
it never hits me
until it's too late